The Story of the World’s Most Famous Chair – The Eames Lounge Chair
If you’ve ever glanced through the pages of a design magazine or scrolled by a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #midcenturymodern, chances are you’ve come across “the Eames Chair.”
Officially known as the Eames Lounge Chair (after all, the Eameses designed a number of renowned chairs—more on that later), The famous wood-and-leather seat, situated on a six-legged base and typically coupled with a matching ottoman, is one of the most lasting icons of mid century furniture—it remains a ubiquitous statement in modern, contemporary, and even classic homes to this day.
But what precisely distinguishes the chair? And how did a creative pair best known for their plastic and plywood experiments create a lust-worthy status symbol of a seat?
The History of Eames Lounge Chair
Let’s go back in time to the 1940s, to the famed Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, which produced designers like Florence Knoll, Eero Saarinen, and Harry Bertoia. Charles and Ray (then Ray-Bernice Alexandra Kaiser) Eames met there for the first time as students. Following graduation, the Eameses relocated to Los Angeles, where they established the Eames Office and began experimenting with low-cost materials such as plastic and plywood to design furniture that could be mass-produced.
“When Ray and Charles Eames designed furniture, they always adopted a human-centred approach,” Amy Auscherman, Head of Archive and Brand Heritage at Eames says.
Herman Miller, which has manufactured the chair continually since its introduction. The Lounge chair, on the other hand, was their interpretation of luxury—a reimagining of the classic club chair with a modernist’s use of technology and an eye for comfort. “The Eames Lounge and Ottoman was a more sumptuous extension of the Eameses’ moulded plywood explorations. It was their first attempt at manufacturing a premium object meant to be passed down through generations “According to Auscherman.
The Best Design of Eames Lounge Chair
The Lounge, which was first created in 1956, is made out of a bent-wood frame that the Eameses pioneered by pressing together layers of thin wood veneer with their “Kazam! Machine.” It’s designed to sit at the best angle for ergonomics and comfort, and it’s upholstered in luxurious, silky leather. According to the Eameses, the material was chosen to give the seat “the warm responsive appearance of a well-used first baseman’s mitt,” an effect that made the chair “a particular shelter from the pressures of modern existence.”
“The chair is inspired by a traditional English Club Chair, which makes it recognizable, but it is also a technical breakthrough that redefined beauty,” Auscherman adds. “These two characteristics allow it to thrive in any environment.”
The Manufacturing Process of Eames Lounge Chair
Herman Miller still manufactures authentic Eames chairs today. And, while the firm has optimised the bent wood technique since the Eameses’ early Kazam! tests, the procedure remains mostly unchanged since the first-ever Lounge. Every aspect is meticulously considered, from the shaping of the plywood to the leather cutting of each upholstery piece to the painstakingly sewed seat cushions.
How to Spot an Original Eames Lounge Chair
In the United States, Herman Miller is the only registered producer of the Eames Lounge Chair. If you are buying in Europe or the Middle East, the licensed manufacturer will be the Italian business Vitra. That means that any genuine Eames Lounge was created by Herman Miller or Vitra.
You’ll have the most luck purchasing Eames chairs directly from the manufacturer, but you may also visit approved merchants such as Swiveluk Designer Furniture.
Even on the antique market, the Eames Lounge is an investment—but if 65 years of continuous manufacture is any indicator, it’s a fairly good one.
Conclusion
The Charles Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is a classic design from 1956 and it’s become one of the most significant, classic designs of the last century. Our version is one of the best, high-quality replicas on the market and is made as close to the original as possible, in three grades of Italian leather, with a seven-layer plywood base and a stainless steel or black powder coated base. It’s extremely comfortable and can be used as a lounge chair, gaming chair or in an office or reception area. Shop your Eames Lounge Chair from authentic seller in UK – Swiveluk
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