When you think of the quintessential office chair, chances are you picture Herman Miller's 'Aeron'. When it launched in 1994, it rejected the foam-and-fabric conventions of office seating in favour of advanced suspension technology. It was more than a chair, it was a serious piece of kit – the product of an experimental ethos that Herman Miller shared with figures like Charles and Ray Eames.

More than three decades after it changed office seating, the ‘Aeron’ is evolving again, this time to reflect a further shift in how we occupy our working environments. Today, the company has announced two new colourways, material innovations and expanded size inclusivity for its flagship ergonomic seat.

Since its debut, the 'Aeron' has been synonymous with neutral tones – 'Onyx', 'Graphite', 'Carbon', 'Mineral' – cool, professional looks calibrated to the offices of the 1990s. Colour on the original ‘Aeron’ was always limited; early versions applied pigment only to the Pellicle suspension mesh, leaving a jarring contrast with the neutral frame. Material advances now allow a single consistent tone across both frame and Pellicle – a seemingly small detail that makes a big difference.

Two new, bolder hues now join the line-up: 'Jasper', a warm, earthy olive that leans into the biophilic design trend sweeping modern workplaces, and 'Nightfall', a deep midnight blue. These tones reflect a looser, more informal relationship with work – a merging of lifestyle and office.

‘Our research suggests that strategic use of colour can have a powerful effect on workplace engagement and individual productivity,’ elaborates Joseph White, director of design strategy at MillerKnoll. ‘Saturated colours in cohesive environments have the capacity to change our respiration, our blood pressure and even our body temperature.’

The 'Aeron' has always been a material innovator. In 2021, it became the first chair in Herman Miller's portfolio to incorporate ocean-bound plastics. Now, the aluminium base has been redesigned using generative engineering tools, shedding nearly two pounds without sacrificing durability. Combined with increased use of post-industrial recycled content and bio-based nylons, these changes are estimated to reduce the chair's global average embodied carbon footprint by 12 percent. ‘By using the right materials, in the right amounts, in a product built to last, Aeron shows what circular design can achieve at scale,’ says Gabe Wing, MillerKnoll's vice president of sustainability.

The 'Aeron's' ergonomic credentials, meanwhile, remain firmly intact. A sci-fi-sounding roster of technologies – PostureFit SL, Harmonic 2 Tilt, 8Z Pellicle – work in concert to support the body. The chair has also been updated for greater size inclusivity.

With over nine million chairs sold and a replacement rate of just 0.055 per cent, the 'Aeron's' longevity may be its most telling quality indicator of all.

The updated chair makes its public debut at Fulton Market Design Days in Chicago, 8-10 June 2026. UK customers can purchase the 'Aeron' here.

This week, MillerKnoll’s opens the doors to its reimagined New York flagship, which includes a new gallery space that will serve as a global stage for design dialogue.

Set within the former location of George Nelson’s studio on Park Avenue South (a location that has served as the company's public space since the 1940s), the showroom embodies MillerKnoll's mission to preserve its design legacy while connecting its audience with contemporary creativity through innovative design conversations.

'This space underscores the company’s commitment to using design as a catalyst for human connection,' reads a note introducing the reimagined showroom, and the inaugural exhibition reflects this vision.

For the gallery's debut, the company chose a project originally presented at Triennale Milano in 2024: Walking Sticks and Canes is an exhibition curated by Japanese designer Keiji Takeuchi, who invited designers to create a walking stick that answered the question: 'How can we change a stigma into a purposeful product that makes you want to go outside and walk with your friends again?’ 

Takeuchi asked 19 designers to reinterpret the walking stick, 'not as a tool but as a gesture of movement and connection.' The group includes Herman Miller collaborators Jasper Morrison and Cecilie Manz alongside international designers such as Julie Richoz and Marialaura Irvine.

'Our role is to open doors to design experiences that aren’t always accessible,' says Kelsey Keith, Creative Director at MillerKnoll. 'Bringing Walking Sticks & Canes to New York connects people to these designers’ work and draws a line from very big questions to detailed, tactile answers. We’re also rethinking our showrooms as spaces where design becomes a living, evolving practice: something to experience.'

This focus on design for living is all the more poignant as it sits within MillerKnoll's creative ecosystem. Set over 11 floors and more than 77,000 square feet, this is the first space in the United States to combine contract showrooms and retail stores from Knoll and Herman Miller, as well as brands from the group that include, Muuto, Maharam and Hay.

MillerKnoll, 251 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010

Once a niche corner of the internet, the furniture resale market has surged over the past decade. Part of its appeal lies in a growing awareness that we need to consume less and value longevity over novelty. But there’s also something magnetic about a vintage Knoll credenza or Le Corbusier sofa – objects that carry the patina of time. There’s a particular appetite for modernist icons: the interior-sphere is positively brimming with Togo sofas, Eames lounge chairs and Arco floor lamps. Thankfully, a crop of online platforms has emerged to satiate the hunger for, perhaps, authenticity in an increasingly mass-produced world. As lovers of all things 20th century, we’ve compiled the best places to shop for vintage furniture online – marketplaces where interior designers and homeowners alike source second hand treasures that combine aesthetics with sustainability.

The best places to shop for second hand furniture online

1stDibs

One of the largest global marketplaces connecting collectors, designers and dealers with rare pieces, 1stDibs offers everything from mid-century modern furniture to designer decor and museum-quality antiques. The platform places a strong focus on provenance, partnering with galleries and experts to ensure authenticity, making it the go-to destination for investment-grade design rather than casual resale.

Chairish

Shoppers can browse everything from Hollywood Regency dressers and mid-century sideboards to art prints, mirrors, rugs and lighting on this curated resale marketplace. Chairish caters to both design professionals and design-loving consumers, positioning resale as a sustainable and stylish alternative to new production.

Etsy

Always a reliable resource for, well, almost anything, Etsy connects independent makers, collectors and vintage sellers with buyers worldwide. Among its vast inventory of decor, art, furniture, textiles and more, you can find everything from retro lamps to handmade ceramics – a marketplace that blends creative craftsmanship with accessible vintage resale.

Pamono

This Berlin-based platform Pamono specialises in vintage and contemporary design furniture, lighting and art, with a catalogue spanning iconic 20th-century designers, studios and decor. It’s a veritable treasure trove for quality-curated classics like Eames chairs, Murano glass lamps, Bauhaus-inspired desks and Scandinavian teak tables.

Curiouz

A contemporary resale platform for pre-owned design furniture, Curiouz offers listings of modern classics – think Knoll tables, Vitra chairs and sculptural lighting. Its clean, meticulous curation makes it a favourite among professionals and design aficionados alike, bridging sustainability and design through pre-loved furniture.

LOT

LOT positions itself as a modern resale gallery, offering design enthusiasts crafted and heritage furniture and objects. Its inventory includes mid-century seating, collectible ceramics, minimalist lighting and contemporary art, bridging design, sustainability and storytelling.

2nd Home

UK-based 2nd Home connects quality-conscious consumers with pre-owned pieces from the likes of Flos, Knoll, Carl Hansen and much more. Expect premium, designer furniture, lighting and accessories ranging from sofas and dining sets to floor lamps and statement décor.

Whoppah

This Dutch resale marketplace for pre-owned designer furniture, art and décor handles logistics, quality check and delivery, making it easy to trade contemporary European design at accessible prices. At Whoppah expect to find high-end interior icons like Ligne Roset sofas, Moooi lighting and Vitra chairs.

Vinterior

Vinterior is a UK marketplace connecting independent furniture dealers and vintage sellers with buyers on the hunt for the antique, retro and everything in between – with all pieces being fully authenticated and quality-checked. The platform focuses on extending the life of furniture through resale, helping consumers furnish their homes uniquely and sustainably.

Selency

France-based online marketplace Selency’s selection spans farmhouse tables, rattan chairs, mid-century storage and more – championing a cosy, character-filled home while promoting conscious consumption. Every vintage and second-hand item is hand-verified and sourced from private sellers or small boutiques.

Cherry Cargo

Cherry Cargo is a resale platform for high-end, second-hand modern classics. It specialises in design-led furniture and accessories, from sculptural seating and minimalist storage to artistic lighting and unique décor pieces.

IntOndo

This Italian vintage furniture marketplace connects European dealers and private sellers with global buyers. IntOndo's catalogue includes mid-century seating, art deco dressers, brass lighting, decorative glassware and much more, with an emphasis on Italian and continental design.

MCF Select

You’ll find design-forward pieces such as Italian sofas, marble tables, brass lighting and statement art at MCF Select – an online destination that serves design-discerning customers with a pre-owned luxury selection. With an emphasis on timeless design and craftsmanship as well as sustainability, it is a platform for collectors and homeowners alike.

AptDeco

This US-based marketplace simplifies the buying and selling of pre-owned furniture with secure payment, pickup and delivery. AptDeco users can shop for pieces from brands like Pottery Barn, Herman Miller and Article, spanning sofas, office chairs, tables, beds and decor, making good design sustainable and attainable.

Sofas have the tendency to be the most visually obtrusive piece of furniture in the house. So what happens when you tap a known minimalist to create one? Just ask John Pawson.

The renowned British architectural designer has revealed the Pawson Drift Sofa group, a new seating collection for Herman Miller. With cocooning solid-wood frames and pillowy cushions, the graceful perches are ideal for aesthetes and loafers like.

‘The sofa’s become the gathering place for the home,’ the British architectural designer tells Wallpaper* from his country home – perched atop his own Drift sofa – in the Cotswolds. ‘It’s a place where everyone in the family gathers. People eat on it, sleep on it. I wanted to do something that did all that, but also remained elegant, if possible.’

Drift marks Pawson’s first partnership with Herman Miller, though he’s known Ben Watson, MillerKnoll’s chief creative and product officer, for some three decades. But the timing felt right to finally partner. The collection – now available to shop online and in-store – feels distinctly architectural, thanks to its solid, wrap-around timber frame, available in both white oak and walnut.

‘The contrast of a solid wood frame, which is visible when you walk around it from any angle, and then the incredibly comfortable and soft cushions, [...] is visually comfortable as well as physically comfortable,’ Pawson says.

There’s a sustainability angle to Drift too. The inviting cushions are filled with a natural latex foam that’s derived from plants. In fact, 80 percent of the Pawson Drift Sofa Group features plant-derived components, according to Herman Miller.

‘It’s very much a 50-50 collaboration. What I do is provide ideas about how people might live and do things, and we try to fit a design to that. I rely on experts for the technical side,’ the designer explains. ‘I am very pleased.’

So pleased, in fact, that Pawson tells us he plans on specifying the couch in his residential projects. His personal Drift sofa has also become a magnet for his cockapoo, Lochie.

‘I’ve always resisted designing a sofa, because they’re big things,’ Pawson reflects. ‘But now that I’ve got one, I am never off it—and neither are my family!’

When Herman Miller acquired Knoll Inc. four years ago to form the super-company MillerKnoll, it was a big deal.

Just how big of a deal?

‘It's like Coke and Pepsi, or the Mets and the Yankees,’ says Amy Auscherman, MillerKnoll’s director of archives and brand heritage

The $1.8 million merger not only married two juggernauts of American furniture design but also brought a constellation of brands – including Design Within Reach, Hay and Maharam – beneath one umbrella.

That’s a lot of furniture. It’s also a lot of design heritage, history that the company is now putting front-and-center as part of its newly-formed MillerKnoll archive, which was unveiled today in Zeeland, Michigan.

The 12,000-square-foot facility, designed by New York-based firm Standard Issue, brings together a hit parade of items by titans like George Nelson, Florence Knoll, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Marcel Breuer, while also providing spaces for special exhibitions, scholarship and product development.

‘It's really a celebration of the furniture collection in a way that it hasn't gotten in the recent past, in addition to creating a space where people can actually come and use the archive,’ Auscherman explains.

‘Stories start to come to life when you put it all together,’ adds MillerKnoll’s chief creative and product officer, Ben Watson. ‘We knew that opening the aperture of who [the collections are] available to was a powerful thing.’

With history spanning more than a century, though, (Herman Miller has roots dating back to 1905; Knoll was founded in 1938) company archivists had thousands of items to sift through. Herman Miller’s existing library, for instance, housed ‘not only furnishings, but records that include everything from written correspondence between the Eames and [former CEO] Max De Pree, to much more straightforward documentation about the development of specific designs,’ Watson explains.

‘It's messy before it's clean, right?’ he adds. ‘To know what you have, you actually have to get it out and look at it.

Each item received a condition report, was digitally logged and got a light restoration, if needed. ‘It was an amazing day when we got to buy a HVAC museum-quality vacuum,’ Auscherman jokes.

In the end, Auscherman and her team selected about 300 pieces of furniture to display from holdings that span about 2,000 items.

‘We've displayed items from the 1920s until today – including pieces from Frank Gehry, Maya Lin, Cini Boeri, Gae Aulenti, the Eameses, and Isamu Noguchi. So it's really anyone and everyone,’ says Auscherman. A special exhibition ‘Manufacturing Modern’ examines shared design DNA between the two companies and the evolution of modern American furniture production.

Of course, there were discoveries along the way that would make a design nerd’s hair stand on-end, like an early Womb chair prototype that Eero Saarinen designed for his mother (upholstered in an unexpected jacquard), that would go on to become a smash-hit for Knoll. Or designs by Gilbert Rohde that were displayed at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. Or a minimal table lamp design Noguchi designed for Knoll in 1947, a model that was a predecessor of his famous Akari lanterns.

‘Our job gets to be like “Antiques Roadshow” a lot of days,’ says Auscherman.

The archive will be open to the public on select days this summer, in partnership with the Cranbrook Art Museum, and also be open to design students on an appointment basis. MillerKnoll’s product team and collaborators will also be able to use the archive as a resource, whether working on a re-issue or developing a whole new product. Ultimately, company employees say, the new facility allows MillerKnoll to connect the dots between past and present.

“It's easy to think of the archives as historical – the good old days, but it's also an act of actively collecting. What stories do we need to actively preserve for those that will come after us?’ says Watson. ‘There were many chapters before us, there will be chapters after us.’

Companies don’t survive for long without fostering a sense of community. A brand such as heritage furniture producer Herman Miller (now part of MillerKnoll) has thrived throughout its century-old existence thanks to the employees and illustrious designers it has kept close. A major part of the American manufacturer’s company history was the annual summer picnic it held near its headquarters in Zeeland, Michigan. 

From 1970 to 1989, in-house graphic designer Steve Frykholm designed unique posters announcing and commemorating the event, often frequented by long-time collaborators including Charles and Ray Eames. These striking artworks in their own right became highly anticipated keepsakes of the gatherings, including the recently reissued Watermelon poster. Many of the designs have gone into major collections like that of MoMA.  

Reissued during this year’s New York Design Week (16 to 23 May 2024), the Hot Dog Picnic Poster was developed by Frykholm in 1973 and is as emblematic of the brand’s influence on 20th-century design as it is of American culture.

'Last year, Herman Miller celebrated its 100th anniversary, which gave us an opportunity to excavate stories, designs and discoveries from our legendary archive,' says Kelsey Keith, brand creative director.

'One of those areas of focus was the Herman Miller graphics programme, and our research into those graphics has shown up in a few key places in 2024 as we refresh the Herman Miller brand for contemporary audiences.’ He mentions specifically, ‘the foundation of our new identity, done in collaboration with studio Order’, and ‘the newest poster additions for sale in our retail channel, [which] include designs by Tomoko Miho, Barbara Loveland, Linda Powell and John Massey'.

Available again to buy, the Hot Dog Picnic Poster is being carefully screen-printed using the same process Frykholm employed in the 1970s and 1980s: applying one colour at a time.

'The Hot Dog was the fourth instalment in his Herman Miller Picnic Poster series and offers another zoomed in, abstracted view of a classic dish,' says Amy Auscherman, MillerKnoll’s director of global archives and brand heritage.

'Frykholm would often use the real food itself in the design process to create his own perspective on the details of something otherwise familiar. Original Hot Dog poster examples from the Herman Miller Archives were referenced in the redevelopment process. I’m a frequent hot dog eater, so this poster is my personal favourite.' 

A unique ‘Picnic onPark’ activation and exhibition highlighting the design, among historical Herman Miller graphics, is being held at the brand’s 251 Park Avenue South showroom from 21 to 23 May 2024. Visitors will be able to sample traditional New York hot dogs from a bespoke cart every day from 12pm to 2pm.

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Industrial Facility collaborated with Herman Miller to create Powerbox, a power solution that fulfils agility. The launch is a continuation of the London-based design studio's OE1 collection of office furniture and products, which comprised among others, adjustable workspaces, communal tables, sound-absorbing room dividers, storage trolleys and more.  

'We had made a promise of true agility and lightness when we first designed the OE1 group of products,' say the designers. 'But the promise of agility was in a way never going to be fulfilled completely - and that is because if you are able to create a working area anywhere, you have wireless internet but not wireless power.' Powerbox answers that, offering power for a full day to keep a laptop and smartphone fully charged for up to 8 hours.

Its integrated power management system also allows users to share the battery with another 2 laptops. 'If you buy 4 Powerbox batteries and a Power tray, you can then charge them together,' they add. 'But not only that. This Powertray has an invertor built-in, which lets you plug in any mains device like a large TV display. It can power a 60" TV, also for up to 8hrs, allowing you to make presentations anywhere.'

Additionally, the casing of the Powerbox is made from 100% post-consumer plastic, and the battery technology uses Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that is cobalt and nickel-free, has low toxicity, and has a longer cycle life compared to Lithium Ion (5 times longer).

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The elegant, yet liveable aesthetic of the Singapore-born designer Gabriel Tan takes a new shape with a duet of furniture designs, created in partnership with Herman Miller. Since moving from Singapore to Portugal in 2020, Tan has increasingly sought new ways to fuse traditional craft with technology, while exploring multiple disciplines, which has given rise to pieces that not only sit at cultural intersections, but bring together comfort and function as well.

Gabriel Tan for Herman Miller: ‘Luva’ sofa and ‘Cyclade’ tables

For Herman Miller, Tan has created the ‘Luva’ modular sofa, named after the Portuguese word for ‘glove’, and the ‘Cyclade’ coffee tables, a series of three tables that pay homage to the supercontinent of Pangea, with island-like forms that come together or flow apart seamlessly. ‘When a design is successful, different people can read it in different ways,’ Tan says. ‘Depending on where you’re from, you can interpret and relate to these designs in a totally different way from somebody else across the world.’

‘“Luva” was born out of my pursuit to create the most comfortable modular sofa imaginable,’ Tan asserts, sharing that the design was created during the first phase of the global pandemic lockdown, which occurred soon after he and his family moved to Porto. Emulating the soft grip and padded feel of boxing gloves, the distinct, yet visually soft form also intentionally echoes the shape of rolled Japanese futons. With the ability to be used open, which supports a relaxing posture, or tucked to make it suitable for work or conversation, the modular design is available as an armchair, sectional, chaise, sofa and ottoman, and can be easily reconfigured to fit multiple settings.

‘Our goal was to ensure that comfort remained consistent in both the open and closed positions – a challenge that required dedicated collaboration between my team and Herman Miller's product development and engineering experts,’ Tan says. ‘After seven rounds of prototyping, we were finally able to achieve this balance.’ 

The notion of balance carries through to the ‘Cyclade’ coffee tables, which despite their individual forms, work as well together intertwined as they do on their own. ‘The “Cyclade” coffee tables explore how negative spaces, notches, and cut-outs can create unique interactions between our furniture, plants, and objects. The sculptures of Isamu Noguchi and Balthasar Lobo also influenced this design,’ Tan explains, of the tables, which each exhibit different heights and functional variations. 

At its lowest, the table is accompanied by a glass bowl that can be used to hold greenery, display objects or for entertaining. In the mid-level and higher heights, the tables can either nestle around each other or around a standing lamp, bringing an element of play and poetry to whatever configuration is created. 

Tan concludes, ‘Designing for Herman Miller has always been an ambition of mine, as I hold deep admiration and respect for George Nelson and consider him a role model. As someone born and educated in Singapore, a young country without a long history of design, I can say that this is a dream come true. While I am genuinely elated to see three years of work come to fruition, I remain committed to pushing my boundaries and striving for more excellence, to ensure that this collaboration with Herman Miller is just the beginning.’

Watch: Gabriel Tan on his Herman Miller collections

‘Luva’ and ‘Cyclade’ will be available for purchase in stores and online in North America. Retail pricing for the ‘Luva’ assortment ranges from the Single Chair (armless) $2,695 to the Corner Sectional at $10,365. The ‘Cyclade’ tables’ start from $795.

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Herman Miller’s poster archive has no shortage of gems, but few capture the essence of summer better than the recently reissued Watermelon Picnic poster, designed by Steve Frykholm in 1971. Beloved by vintage design hunters and a rare find, the Watermelon Picnic Poster is the latest limited run reprint from Herman Miller, as part of a revival of its iconic picnic poster series by Frykholm, whose Sweet Corn Picnic poster was reprinted in 2021.

As one of 20 posters Frykholm created for Herman Miller’s company picnics, Frykholm’s vibrantly colourful designs capture the essence of a summer gathering. Celebrated for its wit, zoomed in view and use of colour, the iconic poster series is part of numerous museum collections, making it some of the company’s most sought-after designs. 

Herman Miller Watermelon Poster by Steve Frykholm

Frykholm, who began working for Herman Miller in 1970, was hired as the company’s first in-house graphic designer. A recent graduate from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, one of his earliest tasks was to design a poster to promote the company’s annual summer picnic. Some of the series’ lesser-known close-ups showcase other summer staples such as pie slices, popsicles, layered salad, chocolate cake and honeyed ham.

More than 50 years on, Frykholm still works at Herman Miller. Fittingly, the limited and numbered run of 200 posters has been faithfully recreated in Michigan at the original screen printers’ studio, using the authentic 1971 screen. Printed onto 100% cotton paper and framed in American maple with a natural, white, or black finish, the poster appears to float in the frame, creating a graphic look when hung on a wall. 

'People often ask where they can find the bold ads and graphic artworks on the walls of our office spaces, which prompted us to reprint selected pieces from our archives,’ says Amy Auscherman, Director, Archives and Brand Heritage. ‘The Watermelon Picnic Poster is one of our customer favourites. I like that you can clearly tell what it is thanks to the colours, but it feels way more abstract.’

$895, available from hermanmiller.com 

Herman Miller has reintroduced eight archival designs from the iconic Alexander Girard as a new series of posters. Originally created in the 1970s as Environmental Enrichment Panels, which Girard envisioned for use in the workplace as a means of supporting creativity and productivity by bringing a more vibrant sensibility to traditional office spaces, the limited edition poster series pays tribute to Girard’s pioneering vision by proving just how versatile these designs continue to be.

Alexander Girard posters: discover the collection

Pattern has always been the entry point into Alexander Girard’s irresistibly optimistic universe,’ says Ben Watson, president of Herman Miller. ‘His original intention was to use these prints to infuse colour and energy into the workplace. In today’s world, work happens everywhere, and one’s home environment can be equally as creative and inspiring. These timeless designs are just as powerful as they were when introduced in 1972.’

The Environment Enrichment Panels were originally included in Herman Miller’s Action Office system, which was first introduced in 1968 as the world’s first open-plan office system. Girard’s designs were instrumental in supporting this bold new vision of work. Featuring several now distinctively Girard patterns, such as Bouquet, Double Hearts, Eyes and Palace, in a multitude of vibrant hues, the textile panels’ levity can be equally felt in poster form.

‘In marketing material from the Herman Miller Archives, Alexander Girard states that the Environmental Enrichment Panels were meant to ‘add interest and variety’ to the Action Office 2 landscape, where they were intended to be ‘mounted, placed, and enjoyed,’ shares Amy Auscherman, MillerKnoll’s director of archives and brand heritage. ‘In his residential projects, Girard pushed for a warmer kind of modernism that celebrated color and the curation of meaningful objects for one's space. The Environmental Enrichment Panels were the last major body of work by Girard for Herman Miller and were a punctuation mark at the end of a career that brought joy to interiors.’

She adds, ‘My colleague Katherine White, the Curator of Design at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, and I have traced the direct inspiration for some of the panels in relation to his collection housed in the Girard Wing at the Museum of International Folk Art. “Eyes” is inspired by Girard’s large collection of Milagros; and “Bouquet” evokes Polish Wycinanki, or paper cut-out designs.’

Faithfully recreated in a high-resolution digital print of Girard’s original design on 100 per cent cotton paper, the posters are available in American maple frames, with a natural, white or black finish. An embossed logo on the back of each poster also certifies their authenticity.

Alexander Girard posters by Herman Miller, $525 framed, $195 unframed, available from store.hermanmiller.com

What better way to breathe new life into Herman Miller’s archive of recognisable Eames designs than to bring in the Danish design label Hay to reimagine them? In honour of Hay’s 20th anniversary this year, Herman Miller invited founders Rolf and Mette Hay to create a contemporary version of these timeless pieces: a colour-centric reinterpretation of eight iconic Eames designs that not only features new shades, but updated materials as well.

Herman Miller x Hay: Eames classics with a twist

For the Hays, being able to bring a new spin to Herman Miller’s Eames classics is especially poignant since they have been longtime fans of both the manufacturer and the designers, and share the same playfulness and curiosity for which Charles and Ray Eames were known. ‘They were very experimental in taking advantage of new technologies. And they were having fun,’ says Rolf. ‘Since the inception of Hay, our goal has been to provide our customers with access to works by the best designers in the world – designers who understand that if you want to create high-quality industrial design for the many, then you need to find smart ways of producing.’

The Herman Miller x Hay collection consists of the ‘Eames Molded Plastic Chair’ (both with and without arms), the ‘Wire Chair’, ‘Wire Base Low Table’, the ‘Universal Base Round Table’ and ‘Hang It All’ coat rack that all don playful new shades such as toffee, iron red, indigo, mint green, powder pink and powder yellow. Hay’s version of the ‘Eames Molded Plastic Chair’ is notably made from 100 per cent post-industrial recycled plastic. Mette dived into Herman Miller’s archives to select the tones with the goal to modernise its approach to colour without recreating it entirely.

‘Being very familiar with the existing colour range, my intention was to focus on looking ahead, instead of looking too far back,' she says, while sharing that her research was not only informed by Eames ephemera, cataloged by MillerKnoll archivist Amy Auscherman, but also through one-off furniture prototypes listed on auction sites and in museum catalogues, as well as out-of-production textiles by Alexander Girard, archived at textile brand Maharam’s New York studio.

In a nod to the Eameses’ close personal and professional relationship with Girard, the collection includes a special edition of the ‘Eames Compact Sofa’, complete with a 1955 colourway of Girard’s Jacob’s Coat textile, which Maharam faithfully reissued for the occasion at Mette’s request. Another personal favourite of the couple is the ‘Molded Plywood Chair’, now available in emerald green. 

As a whole, the collection not only pays tribute to the Eameses’ artistic eye, but their creative dialogue with Girard and the subsequent world of colour that they developed together and which has continued to influence designers to this day. Hay’s ability to bring this all to life once more not only speaks of Rolf and Mette’s high regard for partnership and collaboration, but also emphasises their standing as modern-day disciples of the Eameses’ philosophy that good design should be for everyone. Even those familiar with these ubiquitous designs will find their new incarnations hard to resist.

INFORMATION

The collection is available in North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa starting 21 September 2022. Exclusive Collection retail partners include MoMA Design Store in the US and Inform Interiors in Canada starting 21 September 2022. The collection will also be available via additional select retailers starting 21 October 2022

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As a bastion of American design dating all the way back to 1905, Herman Miller's trove of furniture design classics from over the years needs little introduction. Today, another aspect of the company's legacy is set to capture the imagination – Herman Miller posters. The company has delved into its graphic art library to bring a selection of its greatest graphic design and illustrations back to life as a poster collection.

Starting with 15 designs that span a range of aesthetic and conceptual styles, the collection not only provides a look into Herman Miller's heavily guarded archive but shines a light on lesser known works by the company's most celebrated creative collaborators.

A graphic design heritage

'Reintroducing Herman Miller's archival graphics as a collection has been a longtime dream of the brand,' says Amy Auscherman, the company's director of global archives and brand heritage, who spearheaded the initiative. 'The posters and advertisements are always a favourite when we have them available for purchase, lend them to museums, and have visitors at our archive in West Michigan.' 

The inaugural offering includes designs from 1949 to 1979 that range from product advertisements to nostalgic brand ephemera. The poster series starts with a Hardware ad (1949) by Irving Harper, who was a member of George Nelson's specialised design team and was credited for creating the Herman Miller logo; it also includes one of Stephen Frykholm’s Corn Picnic posters (the first design from the famed series); as well as a 1969 illustration by the Swiss designer Armin Hofmann, which will be offered in a limited edition of 200. The series provides an illuminating view into the brand's history, particularly George Nelson's lasting influence on the company. Six poster designs in the collection are from the George Nelson & Associates team, and represent its iconic visual language.

Vintage Herman Miller posters

What’s more, the sizing and material composition of each poster design has been carefully selected to represent the vintage original as faithfully as possible. The assortment, which is now on sale at Herman Miller and Design Within Reach online stores, ranges from $475 to $1,125, with frames available in white, black or maple. 

‘We closely referenced examples from the Herman Miller Archives to faithfully recreate these iconic pieces of graphic design,' says Auscherman. 'From colour matching to paper selection, no detail was too small for consideration. It's exciting to have this work recontextualised as art objects and accessible to design fans everywhere.'

INFORMATION

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Herman Miller enlisted designers Sam Hecht and Kim Colin of Industrial Facility to rethink the workspace, creating a multifunctional and flexible system of office furniture and accessories fit for contemporary office life.

The OE1 Workspace Collection (a name that stands for Office Essentials) designed for Herman Miller includes modular tables, movable walls, height-adjustable workstations, storage trolleys – if you can think of a needed function in the office, chances are Hecht and Colin have addressed it through their workspace collection. 

A contemporary office furniture collection by Herman Miller and Industrial Facility 

The duo’s collaboration with the American brand started in 2006, when they took on an advisory role (or, as Hecht puts it, ‘fairly deep conversations about the merits of contemporary design, that went on for about three years’). From there, the relationship developed and Industrial Facility designed pieces for Herman Miller such as the Wireframe sofa series and the Formwork collection of desktop accessories. ‘In April 2017, we were asked if we would be prepared to take on a design investigation, examining the status of office furniture, which was redefining itself at a rapid pace,’ recalls Hecht. ‘A pace never seen before, primarily because how we work was no longer tied to a place, but to an activity.’ A year of research into the specifics of workspaces followed, and Herman Miller invited the designers to create a collection of office furniture informed by their findings. ‘I remember it was a little nerve-racking, because a few of the realisations were in direct conflict with some of the work we had done in the past,’ adds Hecht. ‘But this is why designers can make for great researchers: to provide illustrative signals of the future that are appearing, and to give a level of prioritisation.’

Flexible office furniture with a sustainable approach

One of Industrial Facility’s most important projects to date, the collection was four years in the making, covering 13 areas of life at work, 92 products, seven new patents and materials including recycled steel, ocean plastic and reclaimed waste fabric from Herman Miller’s production process (the materials used, the designers explain, are being continually improved). ‘The key element is that OE1 is not a system; if anything, it is an unsystem,’ explains Hecht. ‘It is a collection of furniture pieces that work by themselves, but can also connect or live with other things.’ Creating a system was the designers’ way to keep things optimised, producing as few components as possible.

Materials were an important part of Hecht and Colin’s design: ‘to get OE1 to work effectively, sustainably and be affordable, materials were vital,’ says Hecht, citing the whiteboards as an example: ‘they feel as if they are as light as paper, yet as strong as a door. This required a lengthy process of design and engineering.’ And the bulk of the collection, he notes, is made of steel, one of the most recycled materials in the world.

The overarching theme anchoring the flexibility of this office furniture collection is ‘agility’, and to explore this concept, the designer split the pieces into three levels: one minute; one hour; one day. ‘So a whiteboard or storage unit can be moved by anyone very quickly. An Agile wall can also be moved easily, but because it will happen less, we made sure to hide the wheels, giving them a very solid, wall-like presence. And four height-adjustable workstations that are grouped together, can be picked up and moved as a single unit on pallets.’

As many offices worldwide have been closed for the best part of a year, the idea of returning to a flexible and agile furniture system seems like a desirable prospect. ‘I think the most important thing to appreciate now, is that the office cannot be thought of as a 'place' necessarily, but a concept,’ concludes Hecht. ‘That's because if I call out to someone at home, saying ‘I'm in the office', it means I am working, but not necessarily going to a place that is an office. So we really made sure that OE1 has a presence like reliable friends: functional, but at the same time utterly liveable wherever work takes place.’

INFORMATION

hermanmiller.com

When word that Yves Behar was working on a new chair for Herman Miller reached the Wallpaper* offices, we sped across the pond to the manufacturer's HQ in Michigan to find out more. There, we not only discovered the chair in question - the Golden Gate Bridge-inspired 'SAYL' (see our October issue) - but a remarkable archive of original design drawings for the now ubiquitous Eames Lounge Chair, alongside George Nelson's manifestos and vintage advertising artwork.

A more prestigious, and historically rich, chair manufacturer would be hard to find: Herman Miller's reverential relationship towards its designers has helped put industrial design on the map. With no internal design team, the company chooses its creative talent carefully and nurtures it over time. 'It's the designer's vision we're striving for,' says Don Goeman, Herman Miller's executive president. 'But that is a responsibility as much as an opportunity. The designer is given the reigns, but if the vision is not right, the team realises they are not being pulled in the right direction.'

Another treasure we discovered on our rifle through the archives was a 1956 film. It shows the iconic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman being assembled by Herman Miller worker, Dick Hoffman.

Watch the film