QUESTION: When is a chair like a paraglider?

ANSWER:  When they share the same fabric and design!

Advanced fabrics have been the norm in outdoor sports for years.  Speciality materials that breathe, wick moisture, 

and protect skin from abrasions and the elements have revolutionized the world of sports equipment and clothing, but these high-tech fabrics have seldom crossed over into other products.  The Waver Chair, designed by Munich based Konstantin Grcic for Swiss manufacturer Vitra, boldly combines the best of sports technology to create a cutting edge chair that is as much a style statement as an innovation.   Grcic states that he intended to design a chair that was truly unique and looked to several different sports for inspiration, including windsurfing and paragliding.  The paraglider had the greatest impact, with the cantilevered frame and suspended, form-fitting seat taking cues from the seating harness.  The durable polypropylene fabric  is stretchy and waterproof, allowing the chair to be used outdoors as well as indoors and the aluminum frame swivels, allowing the seat to swing slightly.  The sports influence is seen again in the brilliant color choices available on the Waver Chair.  Not surprisingly, Grcic's breakout chair has generated critical acclaim and has been named 2012 Best Furniture Design by Azure Magazine