Arne Jacobsen designed the chair for Novo Nordisk's canteen. He wanted to create a lightweight, stackable chair that would not interfere with the user's legs. The shape of the seat is reminiscent of an ant with its head up, hence the name Ant. The production was undertaken by Fritz Hansen. The visionary design was met with an initial dose of scepticism, but production continued after Jacobsen guaranteed to buy every unsold piece himself.
The design proved itself over time, and the Ant chair now sells by the millions, its unmistakable design becoming one of the most distinctive chair designs ever.