This winter, we’re delighted to be welcoming a new face at The Conran Shop.
Bringing with them a wealth of experience in furniture design, our latest recruit will work closely with our teams to develop a fresh tone to our Winter 2014 collection.
We are, of course, talking about the latest edition of the Eames Side Chair in a brand new Bordeaux colourway. The iconic Eames chairs have been a part of our core range since we first opened our doors in 1975, and we’re thrilled to be introducing Bordeaux versions of the DSW, DSR and RAR Chairs, re-issued by Vitra exclusively for The Conran Shop this season.
It’s nearly 70 years since Charles & Ray Eames exhibited the original designs for what would become the world’s first industrially produced plastic chair collection at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Back then, it was available in only three colours (greige, elephant-hide grey and parchment), but today these classic examples of modernist furniture, remain almost unchanged. Introduced to Europe in 1958 by Vitra’s founder, Willi Fehlbaum who spotted them in a New York shop window on a visit to the states in 1953, the chairs have won over many admirers in their time, including the Conran family.
The 2013/14 Bordeaux range was launched exclusively at The Conran Shop last month and is currently on sale at the reduced price of £360.40 for the RAR, £272 for the DSW and £184.45 for the DSR, until midnight on January 27th.
On the blog today we look at what has made these three chair so timeless, and why they are as relevant to our homes in 2014 as they were in over half a century ago…
1. THE DSW
DSW stands for Dining (to denote the height) Side (denoting the type of chair) and Wood (referring to the base material). The original Fiberglass seat has been replaced with the more comfortable (and eco-friendly) polypropene, but the authorised Vitra models are otherwise loyal to the Eames’ design, and have been a firm favourite now for generations. Available from The Conran Shop in 9 different colours, their organic shape means these chairs will never date.
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2. THE DSR
It’s the DSR chair which best illustrates the Eames’ ultimate goal to achieve “the best for the least for the most”.
The lightweight DSR model (or Dining Side Rod chair) is sometimes referred to as the Eiffel Chair, after the rod base structure was said to be inspired by the Tour Eiffel. Its cross-strut steel legs make it one of the most robust chairs around and continue to lend it a very much contemporary feel.
The Conran Shop’s exclusive Bordeaux editions have powder-coated black lacquer legs, to compliment the rich tone of the seat.
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3. THE RAR
The RAR, or Rocking Armchair Rod, was first designed with the others in 1948, though its U.S. producer, Herman Miller ceased selling the models in America 20 years later, as they were reserved for gifts to employees of the company who were expecting a child, and it’s still a favourite of mothers-to-be.
A tremendous amount of work and research went into finely tuning the ‘rock’, to give it the smoothest rocking motion possible. Its combination of chrome-plated wire legs, polypropene armchair and solid maple rockers makes this one of the most versatile chairs, able to blend comfortably into any style of interior.
Shop the new Bordeaux collection now, or browse for your favourite colours from The Conran Shop online or in either our London or Paris stores.