In a similar vein I see that...
In a similar vein I see that Artek are now offering some Aalto designs with what they call a 'honey'finish' - basically a stain which tries to replicate the warm patina and colour, prized amongst Aalto collectors, of 70 year old pieces. I prefer it to the heavy clear finishes used on Aalto furniture since the 60s but I guess it could be argued that such an 'old look' finish is in some way dishonest.
apology accepted and no offense taken
I just don't think anyone here is a wannabe. We all are obviously passionate about design ... and just like the aesthetic differences among our very favorite designers, we will share those differences as well.
My main frustration with the likes of Herman Miller and other large companies that are similar is that they do very little to promote and manufacture new design. They stay in the past, and only make money on the safe designs that are already proven to be financially successful for them. In the old days Herman Miller took chances and was passionate about young designers with progressive ideas. Just rehabbing an old design and paintinging it yellow is not progressive (quite the opposite). I wish Herman Miller would keep their classic line and open up a fresh new one with new designs. Vitra, although guilty of the same in some respects (the plastic shell chair), has been among the few to stay dedicated to their past designers while looking forward. Why can't HM hire designers with new ideas such as the Bouroullecs, Wanders, etc? Will they survive on contract furniture and their classic pieces forever?
reply to white spike
I was visiting with a good friend that works for Herman Miller and I ask them if any thing was going to be re introduced .She told me the classics as they call them is such a small part of there business . Although best known for those iconic pieces. Herman Miller bulk of the business is now in Health care . where they have been very inovative with wonderful designs for that industry ,
I was told that Miller stills hold trade dress rights on most all The Eames designs.. from time to time they will introduce new pieces to the market . I did ask her about the painted chairs and she said. That the LCW is so iconic and recogniziable as a Eames product that The designers of today are the ones that demanded the color palet that is being offered.
they are the ones that wanted those so bad , and after careful marketing and research they thought it would be a good idea,
I did ask the good question about new designers. The comment was they have the pick of the litter with new up coming and vetran desingers. like Carol Catalano who is molding wood like Eames did , who they think will have some great things from and already do .
They are also real proud of Ayse Birsel in there new Resolve line.
I am a classics person and I love that compnay i wish they would introduce every thing that Eames and Nelson ever made instead of putting a new piece out every several years like the swag leg chair and desk designed by Nelson .In closing I was told since the turn of the century 2000 they have introduced over 10 classics that have been out of production 25 years or more .
I guess slow and steady win the rest with them .
follow up
..... for what it is worth... I think the Aeron Chair was the single most important chair that Herman Miller has introduced to the design world in the last 20 years . Bill Stumps ideas of being confortable and erogonomic in a chair was widely received . from what I was told that is the best selling item ever made and sold by Herman miller. The company had a good year did over a 1 bilion in sales, Everthing made by them is quality .
I have originals by Herman Miller and several reproductions made by good companies
There stuff after forty years looks better than reproductins off the boat. They knew and still know how to hire
good craftsmen . here in the USA
Holding off opinion but annoyed
Okay, I'm a little wary about these new colors. I have to say that I've seen the Jacobsen colors at DWR and they're not that bad. However, I dont think the Series 7 chair is quite as iconic a piece as the LCW. I'm afraid I will have to hold my judgment until I see the damn things.
Okay, I just re-read the colors list: seriously ewww - I HATE yellow, and anything besides grapejuice that is purple should be burned.
On another note, I emailed the Herman Miller customer care department at one point to ask about a small scratch on my red LCW. The scratch showed white through. I was first told this was the color of the wood showing through, that the color was painted. Then I was told the color was precatalyzed lacquer, then I was told "The top coat is the pre-catalyzed lacquer. The red color is a stain that soaks into the wood" Now there is a big deal about the colors being dyed again. I'm really, really annoyed that a company with a gd design history like Herman Miller's cant give a straight answer.
Herman Miller's paint stain.
I called Herman miller awhile ago and was told it's a surface paint from a local shop. Everywhere I go(Room & Board, DWR, ect) the painted chairs and furniture have scratches with the wood showing through. I honestly feel that Herman miller employees are told what to say and supposed to avoid anwsering certain questions. Here is a straight foward question for Herman miller(drumroll please) "Why do you re-make really nice furniture, charge a lot of money, and put a crappy paint on it. Then start doing it the smarter way again, charge more for the dye, and make everyone with painted furniture feel ripped off?".
This whole discussion...
has not moved one participant any closer to the point of view of the other which is probably exactly what one can expect. Neither point of view is right or wrong. They are simply different. What bothers we most in it is the confusion about definitions. Traditionalist in this case are those who consider the Eames design an on-going tradition that can be changed, adapted to new standards as long as it respects the "spirit of the designers" or what we know about it. Those who want to keep the pieces "as they were" are not purists, they simply consider those pieces part of a rich design heritage, a closed chapter of design history that should be part of the recorded past. Generally they see more value in the tradition of a company known for being capable to introduce innovative designs, and they rightfully so, expect that company to do so.
As I mentioned in another thread (about Poul Kjaerholm's PK4) there is no right or wrong here. One can see the same difference amoung historians, although most of them are traditionalists and revise and re-write history on a regular basis...which is their role in society...there are also those (on the archeological end) who record the past. To learn from history one has to accept a continious re-writing of history simply to keep it relevant for the present and near future.
If I may simplify a bit...heritage is to tradition what the past is to history, or in others words, in the same way as history is an continiously updated interpretation of the past so is tradition a continious updating of our heritage. While both the past and our heritage are static, tradition is preserving what is considered to be good in the past by continuiously adapting it to an ever chnaging present. I can not see why one point of view would be right and the other wrong...we just do'nt know.
Altough companies like Herman Miller have a tendency to move on (the turn to hospital equipement was made in the early seventies with a brilliant (yet too advanced) modular program) they can not resist the pull of the market and the kind of interest that the market shows in their mid-century production is just to important to ignore. It puts them, as far as those pieces go, in the traditionalist category.
I agree with James
there is a certain sense of disappointment that the piece of furniture I now own is suddenly 'less than' the newer versions. I guess this is the same tactic used to sell cars, computers, etc.
And my apologies to Paulanna - sometimes I forget that the US is not the center of the galaxy. 😉
lcw
I have the honey color LCW from 1951 . I am so surprised to hear from all of you about all the scratchs that the black and the red LCW have on them, and how the white paint shows through..... that is horrible !!! I am so surprised that this has never been brought to the attention of Herman Miller so they can do somthing about it. hopefully some one from the company will read this .
paulanna
For some reason, here in America the
7 chair by Arnie Jacobsen has never been as iconic as the LCW .I love the chairs and use them in my breakfest room. in the original color,
Every where you go in Europe that is all you see, the 7 chairs at stores resturants , and clubs in all colors.
It truly is amazing how popular that chair is . Fitz Hansen has done a wonderful job marketing those chairs in all colors cause they make a room look great.
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com