Our library assistant and Manga collection co-ordinator; Micaela Castiglioni has created this blog post to illustrate the connection between the Spy x Family series and designer chairs.

Granton Campus Library holds copies of a number of the ‘Spy x Family‘ series at both Granton and Sighthill and also ‘Chairs: 1,000 Masterpieces of Modern Design, 1800 to the Present Day‘.

If you would like to borrow either item or find out more about our Manga collection please contact library@edinburghcollege.ac.uk

Bertoia Diamond Lounge Chair

Sylvia Sherwood, Loid’s lady boss (as Anya loves to call her) sits on a Bertoia Diamond Lounge Chair. Designed in 1952 by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International.

Their design consists of a welded-steel wire seat in the shape of a diamond, and these have a matte white finish.

Bertoia’s design not only addressed functional requirements but they were also studies in form and space. The chair was easier to produce by hand rather than mechanisation.

Le Corbusier LC2 Armchair

Spy x Family’s first volume features one of the main
characters – Loid Forger – seated on a Le Corbusier LC2 armchair.

This designer chair, designed for ease of conversation, was exhibited in 1929 at the Salon d’Automne in Paris as the archetype of the modern concept in furnishings, interpreted as “household equipment”.

Marshmallow Love Seat #5670

Anya Forger is seen on the Marshmallow sofa, also
known as Marshmallow Love Seat #5670.
Designers George Nelson and Irving Harper achieved
this sofa’s unique appearance and eye-catching appeal by joining separate elements and making them appear to float in the air. It led the way into the pop art style of the 1960s; its biggest appeal is that its 18 cushions can be easily swapped out for cleaning and customising.

Eames Le Chaise

Yor Forger sits on the Eames Le Chaise.

Designed in 1948, this lounge chair was originally made for the International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design, which was organised by the Museum of Modern Art and a group of American retailers and manufacturers.
It is composed of two bonded fibreglass shells, a chromed base, and natural oak feet, and it allows for a wide range of sitting and reclining positions.

In 1996, Vitra International began manufacturing and
distributing the La Chaise due to public interest and demand. Today, the chair serves as a long-established icon of organic design.

Eero Aarnio’s Ball Chair

Bond the Forger Family’s pet sits in Eero Aarnio’s ball
chair.

Designed in 1963, it is one of the most famous and
beloved classics of Finnish design and was dubbed
Aarnio’s international breakthrough.

The chair is made from fibreglass, upholstered with
high-quality fabrics or leather, and has twelve colour
options.

References

Fiell, C and Fiell, P (2001) Chairs. Koln: Taschen

Guiral, A. N., Tatler Asia (2024) ‘7 of the designer chairs featured in ‘Spy x Family’ volume covers—from the Marshmallow Sofa to the Heart Cone Chair’. Available at: www.tatlerasia.com/homes/architecture-design/designer-chairs-spy-x-family (Accessed: 22/4/2025)