.product_section .product_form, .product_gallery { opacity: 1; } .multi_select, form .select { display: block !important; } .image-element__wrap { display: none; }

Bringing the Sari Wunda Chair to Life

July 06, 2026

The Sari Wunda Chair is a limited-edition Gratz Wunda Chair created in collaboration with Romana Pilates International to celebrate Grandmaster Instructor Sari Mejia Santo 80th birthday. Limited to just 100 individually numbered chairs, the project brought together the Gratz and RPI teams to create an apparatus that reflected Sari's decades of teaching, mentorship, and dedication to preserving the Classical Pilates method.

Featuring custom Sari Blue upholstery, an engraved pedal bearing one of Sari's most recognized quotes, and a numbered commemorative plaque, the chair was unveiled during the RPI NYC Conference in 2025 as both a functional piece of apparatus and a celebration of one of the most influential teachers in the Romana Pilates community.

The story behind the chair began long before the conference itself.

The Sari Wunda Chair began with a desire to celebrate Romana Pilates International Grandmaster Instructor Sari Mejia Santo, whose influence on Classical Pilates has extended across decades of teaching, mentorship, and preservation of the method.

In the months leading up to the RPI NYC Conference in 2025, Gratz began collaborating with the RPI team to find a meaningful way to recognize Sari's 80th birthday during the event. The goal was not simply to mark the occasion, but to create something that reflected her contributions to the Romana Pilates community and the impact she has had—and continues to have—on generations of teachers and students.

From the earliest conversations, the objective was clear: create something that reflected Sari's contributions to the Romana Pilates community.

The challenge, however, was determining what that should look like. How do you translate a lifetime of contribution to the Romana Pilates community into an apparatus? How do you create something that feels meaningful and personal while remaining true to the principles that have always guided Gratz?

The answer would emerge through months of conversation, exploration, refinement, and collaboration.

The Beginning of an Idea

As discussions continued, the question became: what could Gratz handcraft that would feel uniquely connected to Sari?

The answer quickly became clear: the Wunda Chair.

As Sari's favorite piece of apparatus, the Wunda Chair felt like the most fitting tribute. More than just a piece of equipment, it represented the precision, control, and discipline that have always been central to both the Pilates method and Sari's approach to teaching.

Once the apparatus was selected, the project evolved from an idea into a collaborative design process. Every detail would matter. This would not simply be a commemorative product. It would become a physical representation of the respect and admiration held for someone who has dedicated so much of her life to preserving and advancing the work.

The Gratz team began gathering inspiration, sharing ideas, and discussing what elements could make the chair feel unmistakably connected to Sari. The goal was not to reinvent the Wunda Chair, but to create a version that celebrated her story while remaining true to the Gratz apparatus that teachers have trusted for generations.

Finding the Right Details

One of the first details shared by the RPI team was Sari's favorite color: teal.

With that inspiration, the Gratz team began exploring upholstery options that could help bring the vision to life. Numerous samples were sourced and reviewed, each offering a different interpretation of the color. Rather than making the decision internally, samples were shared directly with both Daria and Sari, allowing them to be directly involved in the process and help shape the final design.

After reviewing the options together, a beautiful aqua teal leather grain vinyl was selected.

The color immediately felt right. It was vibrant, distinctive, and unlike anything else in the Gratz upholstery collection. It brought energy and personality to the chair while remaining elegant and timeless. Over time, the color became known simply as Sari Blue.

With the upholstery finalized, attention shifted to making the Chair even more personal.

The team wanted the chair to reflect not only Sari's favorite color, but also her voice. Working closely with the Gratz manufacturing team, conversations began around how her words could become a permanent part of the apparatus itself. Through that collaboration, the custom engraved pedal was developed, featuring the quote: "The Wunda Chair is where complete control of the body becomes an art."

The engraving transformed the chair from a commemorative piece into something deeply personal, connecting every chair back to Sari's philosophy and decades of teaching experience.

To further distinguish the project, Gratz also redesigned the traditional identification badge on the Sari Wunda Chair. Rather than using the standard Gratz badge, each Sari Wunda Chair received a custom numbered plaque identifying its place within the collection.

Limited to just 100 chairs, every Sari Wunda Chair carries its own unique number, creating a lasting record of the project and allowing owners to know exactly which chair they have received.

This small detail became one of the most meaningful aspects of the project. Each chair was no longer simply part of a production run. It became part of a story.

From Concept to Reality

Turning ideas into a finished apparatus required careful planning and collaboration across multiple departments. Design concepts needed to become physical prototypes. Custom details needed to be tested. Materials needed to be sourced. Manufacturing processes needed to be adapted to accommodate features that had never before appeared on a Gratz Wunda Chair.

Throughout the process, the Gratz team worked closely together to ensure that every detail met the standards expected of a Gratz apparatus while capturing the Romana Pilates International team's vision.

A Community Effort

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was the collaboration behind it.

What began as a conversation between Gratz and the RPI team evolved into a project that brought together numerous individuals, each contributing their own ideas, feedback, and perspective.

The RPI team helped shape the vision and the Gratz team explored new ways to bring custom elements to life. Together, these contributions transformed an idea into a finished apparatus.

The project became larger than a birthday celebration.

It became an opportunity to recognize the influence of a teacher whose work continues to reach far beyond any single studio or training program. Through decades of teaching, mentoring, and preserving the Pilates method, Sari has helped shape countless careers and inspired generations of instructors around the world.

The themes thatemergedthroughout the process were consistent: dedication, precision, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the work. These qualities became the foundation upon which the Chair was built.

The Unveiling

When the finished chair was unveiled at the RPI NYC Conference in 2025, it represented far more than months of development and craftsmanship.

It represented decades of teaching, mentorship, and dedication to preserving the Classical Pilates method.

For many, seeing the completed Pilates Chair for the first time was an emotional experience. The details that had once existed only as ideas, sketches, and samples had become something tangible. What began as a conversation had become a piece of apparatus that could be used, appreciated, and shared for generations.

Throughout the conference, attendees were invited to sign a dedicated Sari Wunda Chair displayed during the event. To make this possible, the Gratz team sourced specialty markers that would adhere properly to the finished surface of the chair without compromising the maple wood or finish.

Teachers, students, studio owners, and members of the Classical Pilates community from around the world added their names and messages throughout the weekend, transforming the chair into a living tribute to the relationships, memories, and experiences Sari has helped create throughout her career.

Following the conference, a protective clear topcoat lacquer was carefully applied to preserve every signature, ensuring the Chair could be enjoyed for years to come while safeguarding this unique piece.

More Than a Pilates Chair

The Sari Wunda Chair stands as a reminder that apparatus can carry meaning beyond its physical form.

It captures a moment in time while celebrating Sari's continued dedication to teaching, mentorship, and the preservation of the Classical Pilates method. Every detail, from the custom upholstery and engraved pedal to the numbered plaques, reflects the care, collaboration, and intention behind its creation.

What began as a conversation about celebrating Sari's 80th birthday became something much larger. It became an opportunity for a community to express its appreciation for a teacher whose influence extends across generations of instructors and students around the world.

The Sari Wunda Chair is not simply a limited-edition piece of apparatus. It represents the values that have defined Sari's work throughout her career: precision, integrity, dedication, and a deep commitment to the method.

For those who have studied with Sari, worked alongside her, or been inspired by her teaching, the chair serves as a reflection of the influence she continues to have.

Comments will be approved before showing up.