The oeuvre of the American designer couple Charles and Ray Eames is extraordinary in

its range and diversity. Their groundbreaking furniture designs, which have remained

current and relevant throughout the decades since their creation, play a central role in

the Eameses' work. As the sole authorised manufacturer of Eames designs in Europe and

the Middle East for the past fifty years, Vitra is commemorating the 100th birthday of

Charles Eames with the publication of a book entitled The Furniture of Charles & Ray

Eames.

In the introduction, this richly illustrated volume discusses prominent characteristics of the

Eameses' multi-faceted work. The primary focus of the book, however, is on furniture

design. Grouped into categories based on materials such as plywood, plastic, wire and

aluminium, all of the Eames designs produced by Vitra are presented in detail.

Reproductions of vintage photographs and documents accompany explanatory texts

which provide in-depth information on the historical background and distinctive structural

features of the furniture designs. Contemporary photographs illustrate the aesthetic

quality of these objects. The active preservation of Charles and Ray Eames' legacy is the

subject of a dialogue between Rolf Fehlbaum, the Chairman of Vitra, and Charles'

grandson Eames Demetrios, the present director of the Eames Office.