She wore an itsy bitsy teeny wennie not so yellow hot pink bikini………………..oh! Hello! I know. I get carried away. But how could you not with these absolutely over-the-top cool set of four wire shell chairs with hot pink, yes, I said hot pink, bikini covers? They are on solid X bases and we have ordered new boot feet for them. When the Eames designed the wire shell side chair for Herman Miller in the 1950s it was inspired by trays, dress forms, and baskets. Versatility was one of the Eames design edicts so this chair could be configured in multiple ways. It could be purchased on a variety of bases and without any covering, with a full cover, or with this the half cover which has been nick-named….the bikini. This set of four are circa 1960s.
Charles Eames was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1907. Ray Kaiser Eames was born in Sacramento, California in 1912. They met at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and were married in 1941. They moved together to California and continued their design work they began together at Cranbrook. A commission, which they acquired from the government during WWII to produce molded plywood splints and stretchers, launched a career producing iconic mid-century modern furnishings which are still fresh and sought after today. The Eames and their association with Herman Miller were the partnership of the century. If you want to learn more about Charles and Ray please visit Eames Office, the Eames Official website.
Herman Miller started life as Star furniture Co. in Zeeland, Michigan in 1905 a producer of high-quality furniture. Becoming Michigan Star Furniture Co in 1919, and then in 1923, when long time employee Dirk Jan De Pree and his father-in-law purchased 51% of the company stock, it was renamed Herman Miller Furniture Company. And remained so until the 1960s when it became Herman Miller, Inc. Until the 1930s they produced only traditional wood furniture, but the Great Depression caused a need for change and they hired modernist Gilbert Rohde who took the company in a new successful direction. Upon Rohde’s death in 1944 he was replaced by none other than the renowned George Nelson. Working with the likes of not only Charles and Ray Eames but Isamu Noguchi, Alexander Girard, and Robert Propst, to name just a few, Nelson lead Herman Miller to became one of the finest names in furniture and design.
These icons of mid-century modern design will look incredible around your mid-century modern table. And if you don’t have a table, check out our other listings. Just be sure to make these awesomely wonderful chairs yours.
