For the 2011 Salone, Ercol teamed up with other UK based, timber design led brands – de la Espada , SCP, Case, and Pinch, to collectively exhibit at Porta Romana.

In addition to the launch of new collections, Ercol showcased its Ercol Originals, designs from its’ archive which are still in production today – shining examples of great design withstanding the fads and fashions of the consumer age.

matthew hilton

Launching the de la Espada “Windsor” chair collection at the event, Matthew Hilton presented five chairs in the range – named Burnham, Fawley, Hastoe, Ibstone and Kimble, after neighbouring villages of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, where the Windsor chair originated.

Giving the chair a modern update, Hilton has used walnut and ash timber and employed exclusively traditional Windsor chair making techniques in order to further the story, the evolution of the English Windsor chair.

de la Espada , in its role as design manager for Matthew Hilton Ltd, and the designer himself, wanted to involve a manufacturer with history and experience in building the Windsor chair.

Ercol, the UK’s largest manufacturer of solid wood furniture with nearly 100 years of history, was the perfect solution. Ercol is the last of the High Wycombe furniture makers whose beginnings were in chairs of this type. Together, Matthew Hilton, Ercol and de la Espada  draw on their specific expertise to realise this collection

Matthew has worked with a variety of well-respected British brands including SCP, Habitat, Case, Paul Smith, de la Espada  and, of course, Ercol. ( hence the Collective exhibition)

packing up at the end of the Salone

About Ercol

Ercol design and manufacture wood furniture at its prestigious factory in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire.

Founded in 1920 by Lucian Ercolani, a few miles from the current site, he perfected the art of taming, steaming and crafting wood into contemporary and aspirational furniture. The philosophy continues to this day by his grandson and the present Chairman, Edward Tadros. 
“We believe in the arts & crafts ethos of fitness for purpose and pleasure in use – success in design means many things – the look, the feel and the practicality and we have commissioned these new designers specifically to help continue the tradition of producing contemporary classics,” remarks Edward Tadros.

Ercol remains at the forefront of technology, design innovation and time-honoured craftsmanship. The new collections reflect both the heritage of Ercol and the continued desire to develop designs well into the 21st Century. Ercol maintains its ability to produce contemporary classics for an ever-evolving customer base.

v&a london 2009 butterfly chairs arches

Matthew Hilton comments “Working with Ercol has been a revelation – from the award winning factory, to the high quality production values, and an extraordinary understanding about creating furniture designs for today’s market.”

Using only timber sourced from North America and Europe, Ercol has a reputation for producing furniture that withstands the rigours of daily domestic life and offer a service of repair and maintenance to its customers