The process of upholstering the Ox Chair remains a very hand-

crafted technique and is a demanding task. The sculpted lines

and organic curves require unique expert craftsmanship skills

and a certain amount of physical strength. Training a new up-

holsterer for this chair takes 1.5 years due to its complexity.

When trained, it takes an entire day and a half to handcraft a

single Ox Chair.

Our upholsterer, Erik Wichmann, brought his unique skills from

Erik Jørgensen to Fredericia and has spent years of his profes-

sional life creating many of the complex Ox Chairs that adorn

homes worldwide. Here, he discusses his craft and what it

takes to create a chair like this.

“Upholstering begins with raw materials that, at first glance,

seem insignificant. Yet, through a process likened to a battle,

one ultimately arrives at a finished product. This transformation

from nothing to something is what I find so appealing about

the craft.

MOVEMENT

Attention to detail is paramount in upholstering. We must ad-

here to countless small techniques and adjustments. The craft

involves standing, breathing correctly, and employing precise

movements to pull and push materials. Every seemingly negli-

gible touch matters, and there’s a reason for each step, much

like the small foam pieces we meticulously place.

MUSCLES

The physical demands of the job are considerable. Those who

do this daily have developed techniques to minimise the strain

on our bodies. Rather than relying solely on our hands, we’ve

learned to use our body weight to push and pull in different

places, finding ways to ease the workload. It’s a matter of

knowing your way around it.

The Ox Chair is highly complex to make both in terms of inter-

nal upholstery and the external process, where perhaps only

Wegner’s other iconic chair, the Papa Bear Chair, can be com-

pared. Both chairs have many parts that need to be uphol-

stered and assembled. We need to feel our way around this

chair from all angles.

HANDCRAFTED. Pictured right, Wichmann in the upholstering process in Svendborg, Denmark.

20