They would both create and sustain the legend of the ‘ eames chair’ through clever and eye-catching marketing campaigns that elevated the piece as ‘world famous’ as ‘cutting edge’ as ‘the Eames Chair’. Herman Miller would use their expertise, and indeed their faith in new design, to push the product to new boundaries. Herman Miller was an established furniture giant with showrooms in many major US cities and a marketing experience at the top end of the industry, happy days! This is likely the single most important factor in the success of the DCM, the range and the Eames Office as a whole. Miller negotiated and agreed to be the sole and exclusive distributor for the range. As if written in the stars, the marrying together of the endeavour of the product and design, the reluctance of the Evans Company and the interest by Herman Miller was near on perfect. He introduced the Miller bosses to the works of Charles Eames at the MOMA exhibition of the new plywood furniture. Up steps George Nelson and the Herman Miller Furniture Company.Īs director of design at a changing Herman Miller, George Nelson held a great deal of sway and an enormous respect throughout the industry. Their reluctance to ‘go all in’ was somewhat hampering the ambitions of the fledgling Eames Office and help was sorely needed. The war time collaboration between Charles Eames and the Evans Molded Plywood Division was moving into uncharted territory post war and Evans had zero experience in the furniture industry. Make no mistake, Herman Miller turned around the fortunes of this furniture ‘start-up’. The three-week exhibition (13th to 31st March 1946) brought with it a huge recognition and showcased the new products to the watching world, including a rather large furniture brand. It is very likely that the real need for post-war stimulation was at the heart of the decision and let’s face it, the designs were ultra-modern for the time. We can thank the heavens for this relaxation of protocol as it was the kick start for the DCM and other plywood designs. The museum bent its rules by allowing an exhibition of the brand-new plywood group, even though it could be considered commercial in nature rather than merely educational. Charles had previous history with the Museum after winning prizes at an earlier design contest for ‘organic design’ back in 1940, alongside colleague Eero Saarinen. MOMA is the abbreviated name for the Museum of Modern Art, located on 53rd street in New York, where it is still located today.

It takes more than that and we believe the stardust of the DCM comes down to a few things namely MOMA, Herman Miller, Timing and Styling. We can consider the hard work, determination and endeavour of those involved in the project as a factor, can't we? Yes of course, given the success, not only with this but for the entire duration of the Eames Office, I think it is safe to say it is a given! But commitment by an inventor or a designer is a must in any project and let’s be honest, this can also be present even in ones that ultimately fail. Let us delve a little deeper and hand pick the three most defining eames chair designs, the ones that planted the very idea in one’s mind that something is not merely a ‘chair’ nor a ‘designer chair’ or even a ‘modern chair’ but an ‘Eames Chair’. We must consider that, whilst there is no doubting the marketability of the Eames portfolio did wonders for many years, we could and should narrow the field of vision to a handful of designs that truly forged the reputation that became known as the 'Eames Chair'. Those involved in the creative process will be the first to tell you that it takes ‘breakthrough moments’ to make the building blocks of success and that one thing can easily lead to another. If we consider that we can see the history of everything backwards, it is so much easier to imagine that everything was created equally or that everything was received equally. Here, we take a retrospective look at what made original ‘Eames Chairs’ quite so special and which ones stood head and shoulders over the rest in creating that reputation. Of course, it goes without saying that what makes a chair an ‘Eames Chair’ goes a lot deeper than that. There would be lots to choose from let’s face it, the original Eames Office was turning out furniture designs for forty years after all. The reality however is that there are some, more than others, that profess to have created that reputation, let's explore in more details. Quite simply, an eames chair could be any chair, designed by the now legendary American mid-century designer Charles Eames.

Space age chair