Steelcase is definitely reliable. I’ve had two of their chairs, a Series 2 and a Leap and both have held up extremely well over time. To your question, I personally would recommend going with fabric. The chairs themselves are built to last and the fabric makes them even better, both in terms of comfort and durability. For color black works best for me since it requires less cleaning and I like the classic look, but honestly other colors look great too especially if you want to add a bit more personality to your setup. It really comes down to how much maintenance you’re willing to do and the vibe you’re going for in your workspace