The LAR can be seen again and again in historical pictures of the legendary Eames House in Pacific Palisades. It seems to have been an absolute favourite of Charles and Ray Eames. All the more reason to offer the model as a side chair version - without armrests!

No wonder, the lounge version of the Eames Plastic Chairs is also a truly multifunctional piece of design history. In the pictures, the chair is shown both inside and outside, which illustrates how easy it is to reposition. Its compact dimensions allow it to be used in small spaces and the extensive choice of colours means that the chair can be perfectly integrated into different environments. The steel wire base has been nicknamed "Cat's Cradle". It forms a contrasting complement to the monochrome seat shell.

A legend returns

After Vitra had to stop production of the Eames Fibreglass Chair in the 1990s, an alternative was found in the form of the Plastic Chairs made of polypropylene, which did not appeal to everyone. Without the liveliness and structure of the fibreglass, the Eames chairs had lost some of their character. Since 2018, with a new processing method, the fibreglass chairs are back - and in their old beauty as before!

The history of the Eames Plastic Chairs

One of the Eames Plastic Chairs, the DAW chair, was presented for the first time in 1948 as part of the "Low Cost Furniture Design" competition of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where it won second place. Today, the Plastic Chairs have become classics that are indispensable in private homes and public spaces. And yet, at the time of their creation, the design chairs were a true novelty. The idea of a seat shell made from one piece and shaped to fit the body was innovative.

"The most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least" - Charles & Ray Eames absolutely lived up to this claim with the Plastic Chairs. The result was the first series-produced, affordable plastic chairs with outstanding design. With the Plastic Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames revolutionised the history of furniture in the 1950s. Society in Europe and the USA was in a state of upheaval after the war years. This also had an impact on furnishings and lifestyles. With the DAW and the other Plastic Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames made their contribution to freeing the living space from the prevailing sense of control.

From America to Europe

In the early 1940s, the Plastic Chairs were produced in the USA by Herman Miller. The design chairs made their way across the pond to Europe in the early 1950s when Erika and Willi Fehlbaum saw an Eames chair in a shop window during their trip to the USA.

Enthused by the design of the plastic chair, the Vitra founders negotiated the licence to sell the Eames Plastic Chairs in Europe. Ultimately, their efforts were successful and Vitra became the licensed manufacturer of the chairs in Europe and Asia. To this day, Vitra is the only licensed manufacturer for this sales region. Throughout their lives, Charles & Ray Eames maintained a close relationship with Vitra. This is also expressed in the fact that Vitra owns the Eames estate in the form of the Eames Archive. Even today, after the death of the designer couple, Vitra still makes an effort to act in their spirit and, when further developing collections, always asks itself the question: "What would Charles & Ray Eames say about this?".

Charles and Ray Eames - design duo

If you love design, you should know the Eames. For many, it immediately brings to mind their most famous designs, the Eames Lounge Chair or the Eames Plastic Chair. The Eames couple is one of the most important personalities in the field of design in the 20th century. In addition to designing furniture, the two also made films, took photographs and put together exhibitions.

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Product number:	VITRA 44049500
Manufacturer	Vitra
Design Year	1950
Designer	Charles & Ray Eames
Shipping method	Forwarding agent
Material	Fiberglass
Width (cm)	49
Depth (cm)	58.5
Height (cm)	63
Seating height (cm)	33.5