The Gala armchair was designed in 1951 by Franco Albini and Ezio Sgrelli for the crafts and small industries organization's section at the IX Milan Triennale. The presentation was a collection of furniture for the department store La Rinascente. The two designers worked with Vittorio Bonacina & C., a company founded in the nineteenth century specializing in rattan furniture, to create a distinctive design that combined readily available raw materials with traditional craftsmanship. Inspired by the basket-making techniques of southern Italy, Albini and Sgrelli exploited the elasticity of the rattan and cane to shape the elegant curves of the chair. Designed between 1951 and 1952, the present armchair is a second variation of the Gala model featuring an adjustable seat which enables the chair to adjust to a reclined position.