When it was launched in the 1969 IKEA catalogue, LENA was presented as “A smash hit!” It was designed by Danish architect Erik Wørts, who found the inspiration for the shape during a visit to the factory that had already been making the best selling ÖGLA chair for IKEA for seven years. There he saw how round beech rods were steamed in hot furnaces, and then bent by hand and assembled into chairs. Wørts’s own version was the LENA chair.
Erik Wørts was a major contributor to the success of the IKEA range. It was clear that Ingvar Kamprad admired him: “He is tremendously knowledgeable about furniture culture and tradition, and he has an ability to gently adapt these aspects to modern needs.”
The LENA chair was originally sold in white, dark blue and beech. The 1969 IKEA catalogue again: “Architect Erik Wørts has made a chair that’s both beautiful and comfortable. The broad back slats provide excellent support and comfortable rest. And LENA is a price sensation as well! Compare the comfort, design and quality with other chairs in this price range! LENA is in a class of its own, far above the average.”
