Big Mama Chair

Designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce for C&B Italia — soon to become B&B Italia — the UP5/6, known as "La Mamma" or "Donna," remains one of the most politically charged objects of 20th-century design. Born in La Spezia in 1939, Pesce conceived the chair as an anthropomorphic female form tethered to a ball-and-chain ottoman: a sculptural protest against the condition of women. Originally shipped vacuum-packed, the piece expanded theatrically upon unboxing — a gesture pure Pesce.

This example has been reupholstered in stretchy grey cotton, refreshing the silhouette without disturbing its sculpted volumes. The UP5/6 is held in the permanent collections of MoMA New York, the Centre Pompidou Paris, and the Vitra Design Museum.

Dimensions
Armchair: H: 102 cm x W: 120 cm x D: 110 cm — Seat height: 36 cm
Pouf: H: 60 cm x Ø 60 cm