Herman Miller
furnishings manufacter (1923)
Herman Miller, Inc. based in Zeeland, Michigan is an office furniture and furniture company founded in 1905 under the name of Star Furniture Co.
Initially it produced furniture, particularly bedrooms in "revival styles". In 1909, Dirk Jan De Pree began working in the company as a clerk to become president in 1919. The name changes to Michigan Star Furniture Co.
In 1923 De Pree and his father-in-law, Herman Miller, took over 51% of the company's shares and changed its name back to Herman Miller Furniture Company. Only in 1960 did it take its current name. Today, Herman Miller produces modern furniture for the home and office.
The legend of Herman Miller Furniture as a manufacturer of original series objects begins in 1930, with the design direction of Gilbert Rohde who meets the designer Gilbert Rhode, who suggests that he produce a new series of furniture, simple pieces of quality, aiming on materials and solidity of manufacture. He begins the production of modern furniture.
After World War II, George Nelson becomes director of design and, in 1946, develops a completely new line of typically modern furniture.
Next, George Nelson introduces Charles Eames and Alexander Girard to the Herman Miller design team, contributing to the growing commercial success. George Nelson, Alexander Girard, Charles Eames: the three of Miller. A happy meeting for design. This is how a company and three great American designers go down in history.
Some Herman Miller products are part of the history of industrial design, including the Equa and Aeron chairs, the Noguchi table, the Marshmallow sofa, the Eames Lounge Chair. and "Cubicle" ("Action Office II").
The work of Charles and Ray Eames is linked to the Herman Miller company and known for its molded plywood chairs and tables (1945-46) and a whole series of furniture produced in the 1950s and 1960s including the Aluminum chairs Group and the Eames Storage Units, bookcases assembled with different colors and materials.
The creative couple Eames designs and the Miller company manufactures and distributes, giving substance to the basic ideas of the Eames furniture philosophy: To produce cheap but high quality furniture. Creating affordable and at the same time well-designed living or working spaces.
Herman Miller is present in Europe with a network of distributors and with dedicated showrooms in Milan, Paris and London.
The Herman Miller group includes several brands: Naughtone, Hay, Design Within Reach, Geiger, Maharan, CBS, Nemschoff, Mars Living Walls.
