Charles & Ray Eames

Charles (1907-1978) and Ray (1912-1988) Eames were the most important American designers of the 20th century. Couple in work and in life, they meet at the Cranbrook Academy of Art directed by Eliel Saarinen. And it is with Eero Saarinen, son of Eliel and his close friend, that the young Charles takes his first steps in the world of design, while Ray - trained as a painter - takes care of the graphic presentation of their installations. Multifaceted talents, they also deal with architecture (the Eames House in Los Angeles, which they design and where they live all their lives, 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, are the protagonists of an exhibition at MoMA in 1946, following which they begin to be produced by Herman Miller in the United States. In Europe, the Eames' creations are brought by ICF De Padova, which ceases production in the 1970s, and by Vitra, for which they still remain great bestsellers.