STUDIO SHOO designs Woman’s Chair to resist comfort

Armenian design practice STUDIO SHOO has created Woman’s Chair, a three-legged stainless steel seat that deliberately resists comfort as a commentary on the expectations placed on women.

Presented during London Design Festival 2025, the chair appears refined and minimal at first glance. Its instability, restrictive backrest and fleeting mirrored reflection gradually reveal an object designed to make the sitter conscious of their body and posture.

Three-legged stainless steel Woman's Chair by STUDIO SHOO — The polished stainless steel chair stands on three legs. © Katie Kutuzova

Angled backrest and mirror of the Woman's Chair — An angled backrest prevents the sitter from reclining. © Katie Kutuzova

Discomfort becomes part of the message

The chair’s three stainless steel legs introduce a controlled sense of instability. Instead of allowing the body to settle naturally, its geometry requires attention and restraint.

The angled backrest reinforces this physical demand by preventing the sitter from leaning back. STUDIO SHOO conceived the imposed posture as a reflection on cultural pressures that ask women to sit still, remain upright and maintain composure.

Woman's Chair photographed against a neutral backdrop — The chair’s minimal appearance conceals an intentionally demanding posture. © Katie Kutuzova

Mirror inset into the backrest of the Woman's Chair — A mirror is embedded into the polished backrest. © Katie Kutuzova

“The piece is about boundaries, how women are often expected to hold themselves in a certain way, to occupy space with restraint,” said Shushana Khachatrian, founder of STUDIO SHOO. “The discomfort is part of the message.”

A mirror makes reflection conditional

A small mirror set into the backrest catches the sitter’s reflection only from certain positions. The image appears and disappears as the body moves, making visibility feel temporary and conditional.

For the designer, this shifting reflection addresses identity, control and the way self-perception can be shaped by external expectations. The mirror also extends the visual language of the polished metal frame, reflecting fragments of the surrounding room.

Woman's Chair with its satin frilled cushion — The chair can be paired with a handmade satin cushion. © Katie Kutuzova

Detail of the stainless steel frame and satin cushion — Soft satin frills contrast with the rigid steel structure. © Katie Kutuzova

Reflective steel surfaces of the Woman's Chair — Polished steel reflects light and the surrounding environment. © Katie Kutuzova

Satin softens the stainless steel frame

The chair is sometimes paired with a satin cushion edged with delicate frills. Handmade by Armenian fashion designer Hrachuhi Martirosyan, the removable element introduces softness and ornament to the otherwise severe structure.

This material contrast holds opposing ideas together: strength and vulnerability, elegance and restriction, comfort and control. The cushion appears inviting, yet it does not resolve the chair’s fundamental instability or restrictive posture.

Three stainless steel legs create deliberate instability — The three-legged base makes the sitter aware of balance. © Katie Kutuzova

The chair measures 450 millimetres wide and 900 millimetres high. © Katie Kutuzova

Frilled satin cushion contrasting with polished steel — The optional cushion adds a decorative layer without removing the discomfort. © Katie Kutuzova

Armenian furniture manufacturer Canate produced the ten-kilogram chair from stainless steel, mirror glass and satin. Its precise fabrication gives the conceptual work the finish and durability of a functional design object.

By withholding the ease normally associated with seating, Woman’s Chair asks viewers to consider the social demands that can remain hidden behind polished appearances.

Woman's Chair displayed during London Design Festival 2025 — Woman’s Chair was presented during London Design Festival 2025. © Katie Kutuzova

Project Credits

Project: Woman’s Chair
Event: London Design Festival 2025
Year: 2025
Design firm: STUDIO SHOO / @studio_shoo
Designer: Shushana Khachatrian / @shu.architect
Production: Canate / @canate__
Cushion: Hrachuhi Martirosyan
Photography: Katie Kutuzova / @katie.kutuzova
Dimensions: 450 × 580 × 900 mm
Weight: 10 kg
Materials: Stainless steel, mirror and satin
Production country: Armenia