Original "La Chaise" Designed by Charles and Ray Eames - Made by Vitra

Charles and Ray Eames designed the elegant lounge chair La Chaise for a competition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1948. It was inspired by the 'Floating Figure' sculpture by Gaston Lachaise. 

Although intended to be released in 1950, Herman Miller found the piece to be too costly and never released one. It would take over 40 years before the Eames La Chaise would actually be put into production. This would happen in 1991 when the first market pieces rolled off the production line of Vitra, the European licensee. It means therefore that the 'La Chaise' was a design that was not part of the portfolio of Charles and Ray Eames during their lifetime. The lounge chair has long since established itself as an icon of organic design.