Charles Eames, born in 1907 in St. Louis, Missouri, studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis and designed a number of houses and churches with various partners. Ray Eames, born in 1912, attended Bennett College in Millbrook, New York, and continued his painting studies at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts until 1937. Charles and Ray Eames married in 1941 and moved to Los Angeles, where they began experimenting with three-dimensional plywood molding techniques together. The goal was to create comfortable and affordable chairs. But the war interrupted their work. In 1946, they exhibited their experimental furniture designs at MoMA. The Herman Miller company then began producing Eames furniture. Charles and Ray entered the 1948 "Low Cost Furniture" competition at MoMA, and built the Eames House in 1949 as their own private residence. In addition to their work in furniture design and architecture, they also turned regularly to graphic design, photography, film and exhibition design.
The Eames and Vitra
In 1957, Vitra signed a licensing agreement with Herman Miller and began producing the Eames' designs for Europe and the Middle East. Charles and Ray Eames had a profound and lasting influence on Vitra. Even today, their design philosophy continues to significantly shape the company's values, direction and goals. Vitra has remained in close contact with the Eames family, who now run the Eames Office, in all matters relating to the preservation, development and production of Eames designs. Vitra is the only authorized manufacturer of Eames products for Europe and the Middle East. When you own an Eames product made by Vitra, you know it is an original.
