Designed by Kazuhide Takahama and produced by Simon International, the “Saghi” armchairs represent one of the highest expressions of the encounter between Japanese rigor and the Italian design vision.
A rare synthesis of formal minimalism and material sensitivity, this model earned its place in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York — one of the most significant recognitions in the international design world.
Produced in the 1970s, these seats stand as a radical statement of restraint and balance.
The chromed steel structure defines an essential, suspended volume, while the seat and backrest, gently flexible, are upholstered in the original medium-pile bouclé fabric in a honey-beige tone, composed of a blend of linen, cotton, and viscose, still bearing its original paper label that fully attests to its authenticity.
The continuous line between seat and backrest creates a soft, ergonomic profile with a single, unmistakable gesture.
The armchairs are in original vintage condition, with a solid structure and chrome in good condition, aside from minor localized oxidation.
The upholstery shows small signs of age, including a few isolated stains, yet overall retains uniformity and authentic charm.
Ideal for those seeking certified, original period pieces, preserved in their original state.
Kazuhide Takahama, a Japanese architect who settled in Italy, collaborated with central figures of Italian design such as Dino Gavina and Carlo Scarpa. His works are now internationally recognized, and this armchair in particular is preserved and displayed at the MoMA in New York, bearing witness to its cultural impact and to Takahama’s refined and radical vision.
 
Product Name: Pair of Saghi Armchairs by Kazuhide Takahama for Simon – 1970s
Designer: Kazuhide Takahama
Year of Design: 1970s
Style: Japanese minimalism with Italian influence, radical modernism
Primary Materials: Chromed steel, original bouclé fabric in linen, cotton, and viscose
Distinctive Design: Continuous profile between seat and backrest, suspended steel structure, original upholstery with period label, essential and immediately recognizable formal gesture
Dimensions: Width 75cm | Depth 65cm | Height 68cm
Comfort: Ergonomic seating with a soft, shaped backrest that provides support and comfort despite its extreme linearity
Typical Use: Seating for residential interiors, architecture studios, or galleries
Design Icon: Part of the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York; emblematic example of Takahama’s work and of the cultural exchange between East and West
Versatility: Ideal for sophisticated interiors and design collections; less suitable for high-traffic or intensive use
Current Condition: Original vintage condition with solid structure, chrome in good condition with minimal localized oxidation; fabric shows some small age-related marks but retains authentic charm
Additional Notes: Please note that this object is in excellent vintage condition. Minor signs of age may be present and do not affect its functionality.
 
Kazuhide Takahama (1930–2010) was a key figure in late-twentieth-century design, capable of merging Japanese formal purity with the experimental spirit of Italian modernism with rare coherence. Born in Nobeoka, Japan, he trained as an architect in Tokyo, but a decisive turning point came in 1957 when he participated in the Milan Triennale. There he met Dino Gavina, the visionary entrepreneur and patron, who invited him to move to Italy. Takahama accepted and settled in Bologna, quickly becoming a discreet yet authoritative voice within emerging Italian design.
His style is immediately recognizable: rigorous, silent, essential. Each project reflects an almost meditative vision of space and object, where nothing is superfluous and every element contributes to overall balance. In contrast to the decorative tendencies dominant at the time, Takahama introduced a new idea of modernity — restrained, intellectual, and deeply cultivated — expressed both in furniture and interior architecture.
He collaborated closely with Gavina and later with Simon International, as well as with companies such as Knoll and Cassina, helping define a radical yet refined aesthetic. His creations, including the “Saghi” armchairs and the “Naeko” modular system, are now considered true design classics and are held in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Kazuhide Takahama left a profound legacy of objects that speak a universal language, suspended between discipline and poetry, between East and West. His furniture does not follow trends, but embodies a timeless idea of beauty that continues to resonate through its purity and intellectual clarity.
Founded in 1968 by Dino Gavina, Simon International is not merely a design brand but a radical cultural project. Created in response to increasing market homogenization, Simon represents Gavina’s most intellectual and experimental vision: design as a universal language capable of uniting art, architecture, and philosophy. After his pioneering experience with Gavina Spa (later acquired by Knoll), Dino Gavina founded Simon together with Maria Simoncini, continuing his mission to publish “necessary” objects — profound carriers of thought.
The Simon catalogue includes figures who embody the complexity and strength of this vision: Kazuhide Takahama, Carlo Scarpa, Man Ray, Marcel Breuer, Ettore Sottsass. Each project is a declaration of independence from commercial design, where architectural systems, symbolic furnishings, cultured references, and precious materials converge in an ongoing inquiry into living and the meaning of objects.
Simon is the home of intellectual design, measured formal gestures, and timeless elegance. Pieces produced by this editor are rare, sophisticated, and conceptually rich. Not surprisingly, many are now preserved in the permanent collections of major museums worldwide, from the MoMA to the Centre Pompidou.
In 2013 the brand was acquired by Cassina, which relaunched part of the collection through the “SimonCollezione,” preserving its identity and historical value. Yet the original core remains a unique and unrepeatable example of how design can function as critical thought, poetic act, and cultural vision.