Poltrona Frau Vanity Fair (model 904)

Vanity Fair is an armchair designed by Renzo Frau. Its volume and the fine line of leather-covered pins at the back and sides give the chair a composed, recognisable profile.^[1,2]

The armchair is officially identified as model 904; production began in 1930, and the Vanity Fair name dates from 1984.^[1,2]

The chair has a seasoned beech frame, hand-shaped vegetable-fibre padding alongside rubberised horsehair, and a goose-down seat cushion. Under the seat, back and arms, hand-tied biconical steel springs connect to jute belts.^[1,2]

The classic armchair has Pelle Frau leather or fabric upholstery. Leather-covered pins trace the back and sides, giving the upholstered shell a precise edge; available finishes may vary over time.^[1,2]

The anniversary XC should be read as a distinct version. Poltrona Frau says Roberto Lazzeroni was asked to revisit its proportions, while the product page credits the Poltrona Frau Style & Design Centre. XC also has its own cushion insert and rear-plaque options; those details do not define the classic model 904.^[3,4]

This anatomy changes how the chair’s familiar bulk reads. The row of covered pins makes a boundary visible, while the springs and fibre layers work beneath the upholstery. “Steel springs” does not mean a steel frame, and a down seat cushion does not make the whole chair down-filled. Keep those distinctions attached to the classic model 904; the separate XC revision has its own proportions and details.^[1]