Herman Miller Aeron Chair by Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick
Herman Miller is one of the most prestigious names in furniture and are widely viewed as pioneers of modern furniture design.
Contrary to what you might expect, the company’s namesake was not a furniture designer, nor a manufacturer; Herman Miller was a businessman who helped his son-in-law, D.J. DePree, purchase the Michigan Star Furniture Company in 1923. De Pree had started working at Michigan Star Furniture in 1909 as a clerk, steadily making his way up the ranks to become President in 1919. In 1923 he bought out the company with the help of his father-in-law, Herman Miller, and decided to name the company after him, as an ode to the integrity and honour that Miller exhibited in daily life.
Initially the Herman Miller Furniture Company primarily produced traditional wooden furniture, however the Great Depression and the subsequent flailing market forced them to reassess. So, under the direction of new designer Gilbert Rohde, the 1930’s saw the business pivot towards modernist furniture. Such was their success in this area, that the Herman Miller name became (and remains) synonymous with modern furniture design.
In the 1940’s the company expanded into the lucrative contract office furniture market, taking further leaps by appointing architect George Nelson to the position of Design Director in 1945. Nelson became a significant and longstanding influence at Herman Miller, introducing the idea of collaboration with other talented designers and procuring names such as Ray and Charles Eames, Alexander Girard, Isamu Noguchi, Robert Propst, Bill Stumpf, Don Chadwick, Ayse Birsel and Doug Ball. These creative unions produced some of the most iconic and innovative designs of our time; pieces like the Equa chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, and the Eames Lounge Chair, which remain influential design pieces to this day.
Herman Miller’s upward trajectory continued, and in 1968 under the guidance of Robert Propst, the "Action Office II" line was developed, which was the first time the world was introduced to the office cubicle. This initiative changed the office environment forever and further enhanced the Herman Miller reputation for innovation.
Their expansion continued over the decades and the business slowly evolved from interior furnishings into solutions for healthcare environments and related technologies and services that today stretch across the globe.
One of the most iconic pieces produced by Herman Miller is the Aeron chair. With over 8 million of these chairs now sold across the globe, this chair was touted as an ergonomic revolution when it burst onto the market 1994. Developed by designers Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick, the Aeron combines a deep knowledge of human-centered design with cutting-edge technology and is the result of years of combined research into the way people sit.
The Aeron was created to support a range of postures, activities, and body types. Its mechanics offer smarter weight distribution focusing on maximising adjustability to create the perfect sit - arms, seat height, depth and recline can all be reconfigured to help maintain the optimal seating posture. The Aeron’s innovative design has created a level of comfort that has become iconic.
Quickly becoming (and maintaining across decades) the gold standard of seating, the Aeron sits not only in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, but as the benchmark of ergonomic seating.
We are lucky to have the Aeron chair available in a classic black and on casters. But as one of the most admired office chairs in the world, these won’t hang around for long so get in touch for more details.
