Alexander Girard

Alexander Girard was one of the defining figures of post-war American design, whose work for Herman Miller, Braniff Airlines and the Textiles & Objects shop in New York helped shape a generation of graphic-led interiors. Vitra produces his current reissues, Wooden Dolls, Environmental Enrichment Posters and Girard-pattern textiles, from the original specifications.
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    Girard Wooden Doll No. 1 Wooden Doll with Feathers on Head Girard Wooden Doll No. 1 Wooden Doll with Feathers on Head
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 5 Wooden Doll with Diamond Pattern & Two Kids Girard Wooden Doll No. 5 Wooden Doll with Diamond Pattern & Two Kids
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 4 Mother & Child Girard Wooden Doll No. 4 Mother & Child
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 12 Triangled Jester Girard Wooden Doll No. 12 Triangled Jester
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 10 Feathered Wings Girard Wooden Doll No. 10 Feathered Wings
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 7 Bare Lady with Blue Skirt Girard Wooden Doll No. 7 Bare Lady with Blue Skirt
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 9 Two Pointed Hat Girard Wooden Doll No. 9 Two Pointed Hat
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 11 Family Girard Wooden Doll No. 11 Family
  • Girard Wooden Doll No. 20 Pointed Head Square Face Girard Wooden Doll No. 20 Pointed Head Square Face
  • Girard Wooden Doll Little Devil Girard Wooden Doll Little Devil

    Girard (1907-1993) was an American designer who led the textile division at Herman Miller from 1952 and designed the interiors of the Braniff Airlines identity programme alongside Saul Bass. His work brought folk art, saturated colour and graphic pattern into the American modernist mainstream.

    Vitra has worked with the Girard family since 2010 to reissue the Wooden Dolls, Environmental Enrichment Posters, a range of textile patterns and select furniture pieces. Each reissue is signed off against the original specification and colourway.

    The Wooden Dolls are sculptural, hand-painted beech-wood figures designed for display on a shelf, mantelpiece or sideboard rather than as toys. They work well singly or as a group, and have become a quiet hallmark of considered design-led homes.

    Girard's patterns, Checker, Double Triangles, Quatrefoil, Palio, feel unmistakably mid-century but translate well to modern rooms because the palettes and scale are restrained. A single Girard cushion in an otherwise plain scheme reads as a curated object.

    • How To Spot A Fake Eames Lounge Chair
      Buying Guides
      How To Spot A Fake Eames Lounge Chair
      As one of the world’s most iconic chairs, it probably comes as no surprise that the Eames Lounge Chair is the victim of untold inferior copies. In fact, fake Eames Loungers sit unknowingly, or knowingly, in peoples’ homes across the globe. Maybe you’re looking to buy a vintage Eames Lounge Chair online. Or perhaps you’ve seen a new one in a shop but aren’t convinced it’s authentic. It’s completely understandable that you want to make sure it’s authentic before splashing out on it. To help you decide, we’ve compiled some of the ways you can tell a real Eames Lounger from a fake. These sure-fire ways to spot a fake Eames Lounge Chair should help you make this important decision. Read on to find out. The size of an original Eames Lounge Chair Aside from a taller version introduced in 2010, the Eames Lounge Chair hasn’t changed sizes since it was designed in 1956. That means you can tell an original Eames Chair from its size. Fake Eames Lounge Chairs tend to have completely wrong proportions. So, if the size is off, then the odds are that it’s a knock off. If you’re buying an Eames Lounger from a second hand or vintage shop, then get your tape measure out. A classic Eames Lounge Chair measures 84cm tall, 84cm wide and 91cm deep with a seat height of 38cm. A tall Eames Lounge Chair is 89cm tall, 84cm wide and 92cm deep with a seat height of 38cm. Labels on an authentic Eames Lounge Chair Whether your Eames Chair is vintage or brand spanking new, it should have a label to prove its authenticity. When looking for a label on an Eames Chair, we tend to start with the base. It will normally be at the point where the base connects with the chair’s shell. If it isn’t there, then try sliding off the chair’s cushions and you may find a label underneath. Once you find it, a label should have one of two names, Hermann Miller or Vitra. To European and Middle Eastern audiences, Vitra is renowned for making Eames furniture. If you’re buying the chair here, then that’s what you should expect to see a Vitra label. However, Hermann Miller was the original manufacturer of the Eames Lounge Chair in the USA and even commissioned it in the first place. Of course, some Vitra loungers will have made their way across the Atlantic and vice versa. So, don’t be surprised if it has a Hermann Miller label attached to it. Whether it’s a Hermann Miller or a Vitra tag, either tag should guarantee its authenticity. Both brands have gone through a wide range of labels since the chair was first produced. That means there are many different labels that could be on your chair. It could be a small metal plaque, a sticker with Charles Eames’ signature or a roundel. If you can’t find a label on your Eames Lounger, then don’t despair. If the chair’s old and the right size, with all the quality fixtures and features then it’s probably just missing a label. How much does an Eames Lounge Chair move? An authentic Eames Lounge Chair should swivel 360° in a fluid motion. That is, the shell swivels on the base itself. If the base has wheels or castors, then it won’t be an original. Many people think that this type of chair is a recliner, but it isn’t. Yes, an Eames Lounger will tilt slightly when you lean back on it, but it’s no reclining chair. So, if the chair in question reclines far back or has mechanisms to help it recline, then it isn’t an original. An Eames Lounger’s premium finish Always remember the prestige reputation manufacturers like Hermann Miller and Vitra have. Not to mention the exacting standards of Charles Eames himself. That means original Eames Chairs are always finished to the highest possible standard. All authentic Eames Lounge Chairs are made up of three wooden shells. That’s one for the seat, one for the back and one for the headrest. Then there are two shells that make up the armrests. The shells all appear as though floating with no visible screw or bolts. The only place you may spot a screw is on the armrests and original ones will be black. Effort has been made to ensure the design is structurally sound whilst concealing the screws. So, if screws stick out like sore thumbs, it won’t be an original. The base of an Eames Lounge Chair The chair’s base is also a tell-tale sign. It should have five legs and be made using die cast aluminium. Since they’re made using this technique, the base should be one solid piece of aluminium, rather than having individual legs screwed together. Each leg will have a slight angle and taper off into a rounded end, rather than a squared end. The base isn’t always the same finish, in fact, expect to see it polished, chromed or matte black. So, if there’s less than five legs and steep angles on the base, you’re probably looking at a fake. How much does an Eames Lounge Chair cost? The price of an Eames Lounge Chair differs depending on the leather and wood finishes that you choose. But needless to say, the price tag that comes with them reflects the work that goes into making them perfect. That isn’t to say it’s a walk in the park to create a replica. The many elements of an Eames Lounger’s design means that a new replica could still cost upwards of £1,000. However, a used replica will set you back a few hundred pounds. So, if the price is substantially lower than those advertised by Vitra or Hermann Miller then it’s likely a fake. Interested in buying an original? See our authentic Eames Lounge Chairs here.
    • Behind The Design: Eames Lounge Chair
      Products
      Behind The Design: Eames Lounge Chair
      One of the most-celebrated pieces of 20th-century design, the Eames Lounge Chair was created by designers Charles and Ray Eames. This mid-century design classic has been a favourite of the design-savvy since it was originally released in 1956. We’ve dug deep to discover the history of this iconic chair and the designers behind it. Behind the design The old English club chair inspired husband-and-wife duo Charles and Ray Eames to create the now-iconic lounger. Aiming to make it lighter, more elegant and more modern than its inspiration, the Eames' took several years to complete the ambitious design. The chair made its debut in 1956 with an unveiling on Arlene Francis’ television show Home. The public received the chair with widespread acclaim. A 1961 article even described it as placing “the sitter into a voluptuous luxury that few mortals since Nero have known”. The Eames Lounge Chair has become so celebrated it is now featured in the permanent collection at New York’s MoMA. In recent years, Vitra has made a series of changes to update the chair for the modern day. For example, sustainable Palisander rosewood has replaced the original Brazilian rosewood. As a heavily farmed wood, Brazilian rosewood is no longer considered an environmentally friendly material to create furniture with. Similarly, Vitra has increased the chair’s size to suit a taller population. As the average human height has risen by 10cm over the last 60 years, this taller addition means everyone can experience the same comfort the Eames' originally intended. The classic edition of the Eames Lounge Chair is still widely available, including at Heal’s. “What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts.” Ray Eames How it's made Vitra has faithfully crafted the Eames Lounge Chair for the last 60 years. Even today, it uses the same manufacturing methods that were used to create the original chair. You can see the process of creating the Eames Lounge Chair in more detail thanks to the video at the bottom of this page. Since the design was first released, Vitra has introduced a plethora of new finishes. These additions include new combinations of leather upholstery, wood veneers and bases. Most importantly, each new finish is created in close collaboration with the Eames Office to ensure it meets the duo’s uncompromising standards. The Eames Lounge Chair’s design calls for premium upholstery, quality materials and time-consuming craftsmanship. Subsequently, the luxurious chair marked a break with the Eames’ principle of making “the best for the most for the least”. About the designers Icons of the 20th Century, Charles and Ray Eames are most renowned for their transformation of modern furniture. Their influential designs remain as celebrated today as they were 50 years ago. Having met at Michigan’s Cranbrook Academy of Art, Eero Saarinen encouraged the couple to pursue a career in design. Together, they began experimenting with and honing the use of moulded plywood. This proved particularly useful throughout WWII, when the technique was used to make emergency splints for injured soldiers. “The role of the designer is that of a very good thoughtful host anticipating the needs of their guests.” Charles Eames Post-war furniture design called for a more functional approach and the Eames' were more than ready to answer the brief. Over the next 50 years, the duo worked collaboratively to create furniture and accessories that still delight today. Together they became a formidable force of the design industry. Charles’ strikingly modernist designs popularised the Bauhaus’s emphasis on functionality. Whilst Ray’s playful contribution enlivened designs that may have seemed somewhat austere otherwise. Ray Eames famously said that “what works good is better than what looks good because what works good lasts”. This is certainly the case for their designs, which have been handed down through generations and feature in homes across the globe. Shop the Eames Lounge Chair.