Inspired by his vast folk art collection, architect and designer Alexander Girard created the Wooden Dolls for his home in Santa Fe, for his personal use. Somewhere between decorative object and toy, these Wooden Dolls, now available to the public, will enhance your interior. The Wooden Dolls are part of the internationally acclaimed Vitra Design Museum collection and are exhibited in many museums and design galleries. These little dolls, hand-made and hand-painted in solid pine, are sold in a printed wooden box. The Wooden Dolls will charm you, whether you have one or several, because these unusual objects are, according to the designer: 'a microcosm of man’s world and dreams; they exhibit fantasy, imagination, humour and love'.
Born in 1907 in New York, Alexander Girard is one of the emblematic figures of post-war American design. Trained as an architect, he remained in the shadows for a long time before becoming head of the fabrics and textiles division of publisher Herman Miller, for whom he created a multitude of brightly coloured fabrics with a strong taste for geometric patterns and abstract shapes. These inspirations have their roots in travels and discoveries around the world. He was also friends with designers George Nelson and Charles & Ray Eames. Alexander Girard stands out not only for his furniture designs, but also for his series of quirky wooden figures known as "Wooden Dolls" or "Figurine Dolls". Now published by Vitra, his work is still echoing. In 1962, with the help of his wife, he created the Girard Foundation, listing a collection of over 100,000 pieces. When he died in 1993, his heirs donated his archive of sketches, prototypes and samples to the Vitra Design Museum.