Whether a chair is any good is usually decided the moment you sit down on it. But the most interesting part of Artek and Paul Smith's Edition Three collaboration is hidden somewhere you can't even see — the underside of the seat, painted in Malachite Green, completely invisible in everyday use and only revealed when you flip the stool upside down. This kind of "buttoned-up on top, playful underneath" design touch says more about the chemistry the two brands have built over three years of collaboration than any tagline ever could.
This marks the third edition since Artek and Paul Smith began their collaboration in 2024, with the star once again being Alvar Aalto's iconic 1933 three-legged Stool 60. The structure remains untouched — the birch tripod legs and the ability to stack up to ten stools are all preserved, with Artek's signature Nordic modernist framework holding firm. All the change happens in the color: the legs are dyed in Lemon Yellow, Burgundy, and Melrose Pink, drawing inspiration from Paul Smith's signature stripe, while the seat itself keeps its natural wood finish, saving the contrast for the side you never see.
When ten stools are stacked together, the three leg colors create a striped visual rhythm — which is exactly why the brands emphasize that these stools "look great stacked." It's not just marketing spin; it's the actual point of this color logic. Functionally, the stool still serves triple duty as a seat, side table, and display stand, proving that limited-edition status hasn't turned it into something purely decorative.
The Stool 60 Edition Three retails for €390, roughly $451 USD. The original Edition One and Edition Two will also be restocked at the same time, making it easy for collectors who want to complete the full set. It's currently available at Artek and Paul Smith flagship stores worldwide, as well as both brands' official online stores. Whether it will land in Taiwan, and an exact release date, have yet to be announced.
