Published December 08, 2015 Studio photos: Julian Berman We count ourselves fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with so many brands that we admire greatly over these past twelve years. To us, the opportunity to work on and create something we love - namely, clothing - and allow it to intersect with so many other industries that inspire, influence and affect us deeply is something that we try not to take for granted. 3sixteen has been the vehicle whereby we've been able to meet so many incredible people along the way, from folks who run small passion projects out of their basement to iconic furniture companies like Herman Miller who have left an indelible stamp on the design world. What you're looking at here is the result of over a year of planning and execution. It's a custom Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, crafted exclusively for us in Herman Miller's factories in Grand Rapids, MI. We were invited out to visit last month and had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk the factory floor and see our chairs made from start to finish.

Relationships are key for us, and this particular project found its humble beginnings in an email conversation in 2014 when a then-employee of Herman Miller inquired about a denim jacket that was debuting later in the year. used tulip chairs for saleWhat began as a simple product inquiry led to an ongoing conversation about shared ideals and parallels between our two industries. bean bag chair reviews canadaWe began to brainstorm about ways that the two companies might be able to work together to tell a story about well-made things that look better the more they're used.baby bean bag chair in canada The final product was a custom Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman design paired with a natural vegetable-tanned leather upholstery that is sure to develop a beautiful patina over the years as it's used. wooden high chair uae

We especially love how much the natural veg tan wrinkles around the edges and the tufts - it really gives life to Charles Eames' desire for the chair to resemble "a well-used first baseman's mitt." For the molded plywood shell, we chose hand-oiled Santos Palisander veneers which are the closest sustainable matches to the Brazilian rosewoods on the originals. lace chair hoods ukOnly three sets were made for us as a custom one-off project, and they will never be reproduced. grey dining chairs melbourneWe plan to document the chairs over the years as they age. The custom chair and ottoman will be unveiled at the Pop Up Flea in NYC, a three-day holiday market celebrating American design and craftsmanship. We’ve been exhibiting at the Pop Up Flea since its inception in 2009 and this year, alongside our collection, we'll be showcasing this project in a dedicated space where visitors will have a chance to physically interact with it up close.

The Pop Up Flea is open to the public and runs from December 11th-13th. More information can be found on their website - we hope to see you there! Lastly, we wanted to take a minute to acknowledge a few people who helped bring this idea to fruition. First off, thank you to John - your interest in our brand and foresight to see the potential in working together with us made this project possible. To Suzette, Kimberly, Nick and Erik at Herman Miller, thank you for your tireless efforts to bring the chairs to life. To Adam, who has championed the partnership and made the time to host us and tour the campus, we appreciate your hospitality, generosity and friendship. And lastly, to the incredible craftsmen we met at Herman Miller's manufacturing facilities, thank you for inspiring us with your unrelenting attention to detail and your desire to make long-lasting products that improve the lives of their owners. We're proud to have met you.Modernica did not design the fiberglass shell chairs that they sell, but they do produce the most authentic versions today.

The iconic Eames chair design has been with us for over 60 years now, but the original fiberglass construction was abandoned in 1983. An officially licensed plastic version is still sold by Herman Miller, but it lacks the originals’ characteristic finish. Modernica began selling molded fiberglass shell chairs by first buying remnant stock from the Eames’ production factory. Soon after, they began creating their own chairs, using the original molds and processes. You can learn more about the history of these chairs at Modernica’s blog. They are available for $295-535 each (depending on configuration). Videos You May Like Content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or health, safety, legal or financial advice. Click here for additional information.Log in or Sign up- Photo Courtesy of Wright The one that began it all: this chair, designed in 1946, was one of the Eames’ earliest designs.

It reflects their firm belief in functionalism. Not a jot of extraneous matter exists in this spare piece, whose shape has been described as a “rectangle about to turn into an oval, the transformation being arrested at a point midway between” (quoted in American Furniture: 1620 to the Present, by Jonathan L. Fairbanks and Elizabeth Bidwell Bates). Another functional, contemporary touch: the visible... Eames pieces were designed for easy mass production, composed of adaptable, interchangeable parts. Benefiting from developments in manufacturing techniques during World War II, they primarily used industrial materials, like plywood, lacquered masonite, laminate and zinc-plated steel, all of which are found in this storage cabinet. It went for $15,000 at auction. Eames Lounge Chair and Ottomon, 1956. Although originally intended just to be a prototype, this reclining lounge chair with ottoman became one of the Eames’ greatest hits. The rosewood plywood and leather seats impart a richness to the piece, which otherwise reflects the characteristically light look of their designs – in fact, the chair and ottoman almost seem to be floating in space, barely anchored by their aluminum swivel bases.

They fetched $7,500 at auction. Made of a single piece of molded fiberglass, the shell armchair was another quintessential Eames design. Although it looks severe, it was actually carefully contoured to the shape of the human frame, for comfortable seating. Inheritors of the International style, the Eames were also pioneers of ergonomic design. Along with its armless counterpart, the bucket chair, the shell chair was designed to be stackable. This model – more lavish than the standard, with walnut instead of steel legs – went... Eames Tall Chest, 1952. Panels of bright colors enlivened the utilitarian nature of Eames pieces, many of which were designed for offices and manufactured by the Herman Miller Furniture Company of Michigan. This tall storage cabinet – a variation of the usual model, with four sets of doors, ­was the top-selling single piece of furniture at the auction, fetching $18,750. Eames Prototype Table, 1946. Though best-known for their chairs and storage units, the Eames designed a variety of furniture.