When Hem founder Petrus Palmér came across an image of a one-off doughnut-shaped seat on Sabine Marcelis’s Instagram account, he instantly knew it had to be part of his furniture company’s portfolio. A short exchange later, a new collaboration with the Dutch designer was born. “I saw this as a great opportunity to work with a brand that has extensive knowledge of upholstered objects,” Marcelis says, “[and] to bring the shape to life in fabric in a completely seamless way.”

It took two years of development to perfect the seamless upholstery of Sabine Marcelis’s Boa.

Marcelis is well-known for her evocative handling of resin and glass. And the creation of the Boa pouffe, her inaugural soft furnishing, was far more involved than initially expected. She quickly settled on the form: a bulbous, ring-like shape that had long fascinated her.

However, as she was more accustomed to working with hard surfaces and local manufacturers near her Rotterdam studio, it took Marcelis almost two years and a dozen prototypes to achieve the desired effect of continuous upholstery. “We made no concession on hiding the seam,” she says of the commitment to her original vision, even with the unfamiliar material.

Eventually, the designer and Hem chose shape- knitting — a three-dimensional process resulting in a consistent appearance unachievable through traditional means — after conducting research with a German textile firm. Besides its aesthetic, the technique also means that no fabric is wasted during production.

The torus shape has long preoccupied the designer, who has explored it in resins and even a rug.

In the end, the completed seat was well worth the wait. Measuring 114 centimetres in diameter and 45 centimetres tall, its foam and wood substructure is wrapped in melange wool in three colourways — Sulfur Yellow, Cotton Candy and Oatmeal — that nod to the hues of Marcelis’s resin pieces.

Boa also exudes the same graphic sophistication as her other works, rendered possible by the standards of quality and innovation touted by Hem. “It’s exactly what makes it a successful object,” she concludes, “perfectly and seamlessly executed.”