Essential Eames

Authors: Eames Demetrios and Carla Hartman, 2017

Concept: The book consists of short quotes from the writings of Charles and Ray Eames and speeches sorted into different themes, and the text is supplemented with vivid photos of the Eames couple and their staff. The book is published by Vitra Design Museum.

About the Designers Charles Ormond Eames Jr. (1907-1978) and Bernice Alexandra "Ray" Eames, born Kaiser, (1912-1988) were American designers. With each their background within resp. industrial furniture design (Charles) and art (Ray) they met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit. In 1941, they married and began experimenting with three-dimensional molded plywood, with the goal of producing affordable and comfortable chairs. Due to World War II, their experimental work was interrupted and only resumed in 1946, when they presented an exhibition of their furniture designs at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Then it picked up speed. They entered into an agreement with The Herman Miller Company, which began producing their furniture. In 1957, Vitra entered into a licensing agreement with Herman Miller and began production of Charles and Ray Eames' designs for Europe and the Middle East. It was the start of Vitra's furniture production, which is why the Eames couple has had a large influence on Vitra as a design company and their values and goals permeate even Vitra to this day.