dsdn 171 | project 5 - hand-in

Often copied, why has the Eames Lounge and ottoman produced by Herman Miller and Vitra continued to uphold its popularity among twenty-first century furniture/design collectors?

Figure 2.VINTAGE EAMES LOUNGE and OTTOMAN - rosewood shell with soft black leather 

 

Since the Eames lounge and ottoman were released in 1956, they have continued to enjoy a high level of desirability among collectors and design enthusiasts alike. This is perhaps due to the highly considered yet accessible design, combined with the enduring high level of craftsmanship upheld by its licensed manufacturers.

The uncompromising design ethic of Ray and Charles Eames adhered to a code that did not bow to fashion and yet represented a far more humanist (Kirkham, 2000, p.15) version of the Modernist ideal than movements such as the Bauhaus had been able to offer. Technological advances allowed Herman Miller and Vitra, their United States and European distributors respectively, to build the furniture using contrasting modern materials such as curved plywood and polished aluminium (Piña, 2005, p.123) in a way that had previously not been possible, which has in turn inspired generations of imitators.

The construction which includes the use of neoprene shock mounts (see Figure 2) to brace the plywood shells at the back takes into consideration the chair’s aesthetic as well as the flexibility and therefore its comfort (Piña, 2005, p.123).  Irregularities in this detail as well as in dimensions, materials and even numbers of feet are among the many ways it is possible for a replica to fall short of expectations for the serious collector. 

 

Figure 2. die-cast aluminium back braces with neoprene shock mounts

The Eames lounge has today become a ‘classic, representative of an eternal style’ (Fitoussi, 2004 p.15). Its continual manufacture since its release confirms that this has been well understood in the collectors' market where it is regarded as a good example of successful modern industrial design. 

Bibliography

1. Fitoussi, B. (2004). Eames: furniture 1941-1978. New York, NY: Assouline.

2. Kirkham, P. (2000). Humanizing Modernism: The Crafts, “Functioning Decoration” and the Eameses. Journal of Design History, 13(1), 15.

3. Piña, L. A. (2005). Fifties furniture (Rev. and expanded 3rd ed.). Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub.
4. Figure 1: Photographer unknown [photograph of Eames lounge & ottoman]. (ND) The Address. Retrieved from http://www.theaddressinc.com/Misc/eames_lounge/
5. Figure 2. Photographer unknown [photograph of back of Eames chair]. (ND) The Address. Retrieved from http://www.theaddressinc.com/Misc/eames_lounge/