Charles & Ray Eames

Charles Eames (1907–1978) is one of the most iconic figures of 20th-century design, having helped steer the field toward mass production. Trained as an architect, he won first prize at the MoMA’s Organic Design Competition in New York in 1940, alongside Eero Saarinen, which allowed him to teach industrial design at the Cranbrook Academy. There he met Ray (1912–1988), who was studying painting. Charles and Ray Eames married in 1941 and moved to Los Angeles, where they began experimenting together with three-dimensional plywood molding techniques, with the aim of creating chairs that were both comfortable and affordable.

Their development of plywood splints and stretchers for the U.S. Army encouraged them to perfect this technology, which was later used for furniture production by Herman Miller (in 1946) and by Vitra (in 1957). In 1948, Charles and Ray Eames took part in the MoMA’s “Low-Cost Furniture” competition, and in 1949, they built the Eames House, which became their private residence.

Their famous Eames Lounge Chair has sold more than 6 million copies since its creation in 1956, while the Aluminium Chair—which led to the Aluminium Group in 1958—and the Soft Pad swivel chair with matching ottoman (1969) continue to captivate design lovers and are still covered by a 30-year warranty. In addition to their work in furniture and architecture, Charles and Ray Eames regularly explored other fields such as graphic design, photography, filmmaking and exhibition design.

For Vitra, the collaboration with Charles and Ray Eames is of fundamental importance. The company’s history as a furniture manufacturer begins in 1957 with the production of their creations. However, the couple’s impact goes far beyond their products; their design philosophy continues to shape the company’s values and direction even today.

The design philosophy behind the entire Eames collection still guides Vitra’s values, orientation and objectives. This is particularly evident in the recurring question the company asks itself when making important design decisions: “What would Charles and Ray say?” Throughout their life together, the couple provided answers during their travels in Europe and their returns to California. Many objects brought back from these trips, such as the famous Eames House Bird, can still be found in the Eames House.