Newly discovered Kjærholm prototype  

I guess
I don't feel the need to have an either/or decision about designers -- or composers, poets, painters, etc etc. Why must it be one OR the other ? Each contributes something we (society, design professionals, etc) value, or we would not be talking of them all these years later ?
As to Eames (or others) working to a formula -- what formula ? Sorry if I missed something; I'd be glad to be enlightened. Is the LCW/DCW LCM/DCM set just the inevitable outcome of the earlier molded plywood experiments -- a mindless scientific inevitability ? Or do I miss the point ? I certainly don't defend the Eameses on patriotic/nationalist grounds, and I agree there are interesting differences between them and the Scandinavian designers -- as could be expected (despite the Cranbrook connection mentioned elsewhere !).
SDR U S A (the poster who suggested a "national identity signature" had a good idea, it seems !)

could a list of adjectives...
could a list of adjectives amount to a formula? Light, strong, cheap, flexible? Eames definitely had goals if not a formula, I think it amounts to the same thing and he was successful. I admire his entreaupeneurial spirit thats for sure!
Formula vs formulaic? Theres a difference and I think its evident in the La fonda chair, which is one of the few products Eames produced which could be accused of the latter.
Thanks for the stimulating posts.

Comfort.
Are Poul kjaerholm chairs comfortable? I did get the painfull displeasure of sitting in a Fritz Hansen PK-22 wickers version, although I love how it looks. Did Herman Miller distribute his designs in the USA or was he a designer hired by them?

.
I imagine that would have been bad for business. There were probably import duties and less flexible visa arrangements in those pre FTA days too.
But perhaps increasing transport costs will function as de-fecto tarrifs in the future?

Here's yet another prototype...
Here's yet another prototype by Poul Kjærholm. It was org. sold at Den Permanente as a "prøvebord" or in English something similar to a prototype or one-off. It's a shame there aren't more pictures.
To see it follow the link below and type in 878107 in the search box. To read the text in English, you can change the laungage in the top right corner.

Whoops, here's the link:
Whoops, here's the link:
http://www.lauritz.com

Always
looking for original ideas in structure, to see how an expert would handle the resulting form, I find this a wonderful example. Note that the "chassis" is an X-shaped frame, with the legs presumably mortised or half-lapped onto it, and the top surface cut diagonally -- with perfect structural and material logic -- and let into a dado in those frame members. The only question for the designer is whether to taper the X as it nears the corners -- which might have begun to disguise the unique structure being deployed.
SDR U S A