Charles & Ray Eames

Charles (1907-1978) and Ray (1912-1988) were the most important American designers of the 20th century. Couple in work and in life, they met at the Cranbrook Academy of Art directed by Eliel Saarinen. And it was with Eero Saarinen, son of Eliel and his close friend, that the young Charles took his first steps in the world of design, while Ray - trained as a painter - took care of the graphic presentation of their installations. Multifaceted talents, they also dealt with architecture (the Eames House in Los Angeles, which they designed and where they lived all their lives, is now considered the emblem of the "American home"), photography and cinema. However, it is their furnishings, with their perfect and vaguely organic shapes, that ensure them a place in history. Their creations, pioneering in the use of materials such as fiberglass or curved plywood, were already the protagonists of an exhibition at MoMA in 1946, following which they began to be produced by Herman Miller in the United States. In Europe, the Eames' creations were brought by ICF De Padova, which ceased production in the 1970s, and by Vitra, for which they still remain great bestsellers.