Cristián Mohaded: The Armchair That Breathes

Some pieces stop me in my tracks. Corsetto did, the first time I saw it: a soft, rounded armchair held by a band of leather, like a waist drawn in by a beautifully cut belt. As a designer who has always moved between fashion and interiors, I recognized it at once. This is a chair that dresses itself. Finally, an armchair that understands the power of a good belt.

Its author, Cristián Mohaded, works from his studio in Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires, and in 2026 he became the first Latin American designer to join Molteni&C.

Cristián Mohaded seated on his Corsetto armchair — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

A Painter at Heart

Mohaded grew up in Recreo, a small town in the north of Argentina, painting constantly and dreaming of becoming an artist. Industrial design came later, almost by accident, while he was studying at the National University of Córdoba. A teacher, José María Aguirre, told him to keep his artist’s instinct rather than give it up for the factory floor. You feel that freedom in everything he makes. His pieces are not products. They are characters.

Corsetto armchair in ivory bouclé and leather — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Cristián Mohaded walking past the Corsetto armchair — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Where Fashion Meets the Room

I have always believed the disciplines belong together. A great room and a great dress are built the same way: proportion, a line that leads the eye, a material that asks to be touched. Mohaded lives in that space between worlds. He collaborates widely, with houses such as Loro Piana, Louis Vuitton and CC-Tapis, and he speaks of Corsetto as a dress, closer to couture than to production.

For me, this is the most exciting thing happening in design today: fashion, art and the interior finally speaking one language.

Corsetto armchair in ochre fabric — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Corsetto leather corset detail on ochre fabric — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

The Sensuality of the Line

Look at Corsetto from the side. The upholstery swells softly above and below the leather band, as if the chair were taking a breath. The line is never stiff. It curves, tightens and releases. It is a sensual piece, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

Leather meets textile, industrial precision meets hand stitching, and the Molteni family, known for their attention to every millimeter, gave it the craftsmanship it deserves.

Corsetto armchair with a side table — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Corsetto stitched leather detail — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Leather, Texture, the Hand

What I love most is Mohaded’s idea of value. For him, a precious object is not about a logo or a price tag. It is about craft: the trace of the maker’s hand, the grain of the leather, the warmth of a woven cloth, the care you can feel. It is exactly what I look for when I choose pieces for a project. Objects that carry a story, and the people behind it.

Cristián Mohaded in his Corsetto armchair — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

Corsetto ivory bouclé and leather detail — Photo: courtesy of Molteni&C

My Argentine Room

Mohaded chose to stay in Argentina, even though most of his clients are now in Europe, and he brings his culture into every collaboration. So I let myself dream.

I imagine an interior in Argentina with two Corsetto chairs as the heroes: the ochre one by a window open to the pampas, the ivory one by the fire. Saddle-stitched leather like a fine riding boot, raw linen, warm terracotta floors, hand-woven wool from the north, a long table in dark wood, and light that changes all afternoon. Fashion, craft and landscape in one room. It is a project I would love to design, and I intend to make it real.

Dreaming of a room built around a piece you love? Studio Joelle would love to hear about it.

Photos: Molteni&C

Design: Cristián Mohaded

Armchair: Corsetto, Molteni&C