A lounge chair for the end of the world

What still captivates us about the postwar designs of husband-and-wife team Charles and Ray Eames?

You’ve definitely met this lounge chair before. Its most classic form has two parts: a slightly reclined chair and a matching ottoman, both upholstered in leather and encased in a molded plywood shell. To look at this chair is to imagine yourself sinking into its plush, leathery surface. However you choose to sit—curled or splayed—this chair invites, even encourages, you to feel at ease.

The makers of the now iconic Lounge Chair from 1956 were the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames. After meeting at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, they married in 1941, crystalizing a lifelong #design partnership. To #rayeames, “What works is better than what looks good. The ‘looks good’ can change, but what works, works.” The Eameses have played a foundational role in determining what “works” and what looks good, not only in furniture, but also in architecture, toys, and multimedia educational materials. The DNA of the Eameses’ designs endures in our ergonomic office chairs, in the fun colorways of the contemporary #design firm HAY, and in human-centered approaches to home interiors.

So, what is it about Eames-designed furniture that has made it work for so many for so long—in other words, what makes an Eames an Eames? To find out, I spoke with staff from #moma #design Store, the Museum’s Department of Architecture and #design, and the Eames Office.

Further information in the press release to download