Eames Aluminium Group EA124  

It can be done,
and I have seen reupholstered ones.
It is a poor statement from Vitra that it's impossible. A high-profile manufacturer that sells you a lounger for around 2.500 that cannot be reupholstered?? C'mon
Graham Mancha in the UK offers re-covering:
http://www.mancha.demon.co.uk/spares.html

Thanks for your reply...
Thanks for your reply Claus.
I think like you about Vitra's statement.
I also saw the Graham Mancha website but... well, he's a specialized craftsman. 🙂

Issue
It can be done, but there are some issues with re-upholstering the Aluminum group. On each side of the chair the frame is comprised of two pieces of aluminum. The fabric is wrapped tightly over the top piece, and stuffed between it and the lower, exposed piece of aluminum. There are two tension screws at the top and at the bottom of each side of the frame that can - I am told - accidentally shatter the pieces if done improperly.
I have no idea exactly how or why this is so - but I was told by multiple people when I inquired about having my Alu group chair redone.
In the US I went with Retro Redo (our dear own LRF) and it is costing me an arm & a leg because they are very labor intensive.

Yes indeed Lucifersum is o...
Yes indeed Lucifersum is one of our customers hopefully a happy one, this chair does take a long time and can tie up a lot of labor, We have to machine sew all of the bellows that were fused by Herman Miller originally , and we are doing it in leather for lucifersum,
The chair requires M.I.T. s top engineers just to figure how to take the chair apart, it also has working teeth that clamp the leather, and you have to use a hex key and allen wrench to open the chair up,.
We have done around 10 of the chairs and each time it does get better and better, (my own were the first three) so we have progressed.

I asked Herman Miller about...
I asked Herman Miller about reupholstering my aluminum group chairs in leather and they would do it...for about 90% of the cost of a new chair. Simply not cost-effective to have them do it. Not sure what LRF charges, but for regular aluminum group chairs, I wouldn't do it. For a lounge like yours, I'd consider it as those are pricier than the standard office chair.
fm

xxx & Co. reupholsters Aluminum Group Chairs too
(edited by DA - no advertising please!)

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