Herman Miller new LCW colors for Eames b-day.  

Also....
They are also going to be using aniline stain instead of paint....Finally! I added a different link to look at.
http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/SSA/News/Story/0,1585,a8-c407-n497,00.html

Hmmm, didn't Charles hate...
Hmmm, didn't Charles hate these bright colours?

yes, you're right M_Anderson,
but both Charles and Ray are gone now, so they have no say in anything anymore.
Traditionalists will not like these chairs at all, just like the plastic armshells. However, traditionalists usually buy vintage anyways.

hmmm....
yucky.

to quote from the article:
Gregg VanderKooi, Product Manager, Classics for Herman Miller:
"This is a way to honor their memory"

new colors
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!! I think that is great we live in a color world and about time ...
When Eames designed there great stuff the world was black and white and they broke the color barrer by designing great colors in plastic why should any one be smug about Herman Miller and the Eames office wanting to add color.
In my opion those people that think it is awful are wantabe purtist who can really contribute any thing. I guess they thought there old Oldsmobiles should be black
T.V. black and white I am sure if the Eames were alive in 2007 they would be very happy for a color explosiion !!!!!

Something I don't understand.
Why did Herman Miller stop using aniline stain? I don't think I have ever seen a newer Black Nelson Bench or newer Eames colored chair without a paint scratch.

Hmmm, I don't agree with you...
Hmmm, I don't agree with you LFR. And to sound credible in your ears, let me start by saying that I'm certainly not a "wantabe purtist". I LOVE COLOURS! I have a flat with glossy walls painted in bright blue, red, purple, pink and green and covered by huge, colourful and signed screenprints by various Op and Pop Art artists. I don't like wearing white t-shirts (even if they have print in front) and I actually get psychologically uncomfortable and moody in completely white surroundings and often I find myself leaving them.
But! I do respect people's intention with what they're doing. Or did. The original bucket chairs from Zenith were produced in subtle, neutrual colours chosen by Charles (parchement, greige, elefant hide grey, seafoam, salmon and lemon yellow). Later on Alexander Girard was hired by Herman Miller and he was the man behind the introduction of Eames chairs with fiberglas and upholstery in bright Pop colours and patterns. Eames didn't like this but I think his vision and intention for every man to have access to great design pursuaded him to allow it anyway. Besides, as a buisnessman too, Charles (and Herman Miller) couldn't just ignore the brightly coloured waves that swept through interior design and decoration in the 1960's, and had he insisted on keeping his fiberglas chairs in colours that was introduced in the previous decade, fewer people would enjoy his design.
But the LCW chair was never produced in these bright colours except the version with the red aniline stain. If Eames or Girard had thought it would be a good idea to introduce the LCW in bright yellow, purple, blue, green or orange, I'm sure they've already done it.
So, it IS a bad idea. If Herman Miller would reintroduce the LCW in a more modern version and still do it with respect for the original product, they should have started producing the LCW with colourful upholstery on the seat and back panels just like you can buy them with cowhide or pony skin. Actually, the LCW was produced with panels upholstered in leather for a very limited run of four years in the 1950's, so reintroducing this version would be much more in touch with Eames' original design.

M_Anderson I couldn't agree more
"In my opion those people that think it is awful are wantabe purtist"
You can rub people the wrong way sometimes. I am no wannabe purist. AND - I am not a purist at all for that matter - but as M_Anderson, I respect original designs. If I want a colorful chair I look elsewhere. There are many many colorful original designs to be had without tampering with another design.

anderson and whitespike
......I so disagree !!!! and I wasn't not refering to either of you two as Wanabee purist... But Herman Miller and the Eames estate have every right to introduce new colors any time they want. The furniture business has changes so much from yester year. They have to make every attempt to try to make things enviroment friendly and green friendly.
If you think for one second the bucket is a great chair the way it looks now from Vitra you are wrong . sterile and boring and a nice piece of PLASTIC ... someone jumped my ass when i expressed how i disliked the way it looked and I got a sermon on the envirorment and how we had to change ...
Not it is my turn the more colors the better we should have never been tethered to black,red,walnut,ash,
Thsi progresive company was dragging a leg It did not need to take 60 years and Eames 100th birthday to come out with more colors should have happended a long time a go. I just can't believe that you two good READER/WRITERS
who are both so passionate about good design... would let that bother you . .. I guess that does make the world go around and thank g-d we are not color blind cause I love all colors!!!!!

LRF
I certainly am not letting it bother me. I just would not support it with my hard earned money. Like I said before, there are many other designs to choose from that were intended to be offered in many colors. Whether you like it or not, color is a part of the design element. Offering these new colors to me is little better than changing a dimension.
Why be only obsessed over the Eameses? If you want a red chair, did Bertoia, Risom, Panton, etc. not already provide good options?
I agree that I don't like the Vitra shell chairs ... again because they were changed. I understand the environmental reasons, but that's just me. I don't plan on "recycling" my chair when I'm done with it!
LRF - I know you have no qualms with this from past discussions. I think you are the one who was to powdercoat some Eames wire chairs purple no?
I know that these Estates have the right to produce them in any color they want. Hell, they could come out with a ty-dyed LCW if they so desired. Just because they have the right doesn't neccessarily make it in good taste.
Again, I will say: If I want a Green chair, I'll go order a Diamond chair with a green pad or something. ALSO - I do wish they offered the reproductions in the states with an upholstery option ... like what was stated, that was an option (and a very cool one at that).

"In my opion those people...
"In my opion those people that think it is awful are wantabe purtist"
And you did mean this to me. I think it's awful, so undoubtedly I am a wannabe purist!
Look, I'm not going to say anything negative to you based on your aesthetic sensibilites and/or ethics about a design's originality. I don't really care that much, I just wouldn't spend my money on it.
IN fact, this reminds me of the 1980's when Fender started making weird modifications to the Stratocaster. At the time some people liked that it was 'updated.' In the end, even a nice American made Startocaster of that series is nearly worthless to buyers a decade later because they look weird and dated. "Oh, that was from that unfortunate series in the 80s."
Updating a piece already modern to the core is silly. Isn't the reason it is considered by us to be modern is in its qualities that make it timeless? If it is timeless already what's the point? Charles Eames said himself, " Innovate as a last resort." The point is, there was no reason to change it.

mistake
"If you want a red chair, did Bertoia, Risom, Panton, etc. not already provide good options?"
I know they originally produced them in red, I meant to put one of the newer colors. My thought process ran away from me!

whitespike
"In my opion those people...
"In my opion those people that think it is awful are wantabe purtist"
And you did mean this to me. I think it's awful, so undoubtedly I am a wannabe purist!
Sorry ..... did not mean that about you ... I admire your writing skills and your commmittment to good design.