Herman Miller keeps bringing back more classic designs, like George Nelson’s cabinets and Alexander Girard’s Flower Table, launched earlier this year. Now, the brand is launching the New Mexico Collection at NYCxDESIGN. Consisting of limited-run two designs, the collection is inspired by the friendship between Girard, Charles and Ray Eames, and New Mexico artist Georgia O’Keeffe.
The New Mexico Collection includes the Girard Snake Table designed by Alexander Girard but never put into production until now, and a special version of the Eames Wire Chair Low Base designed by the Eames Office, in the “bikini” style with Girard’s Toostripe fabric in Ochre Dark/Sienna on a soft-white wire frame and base. It is a two-piece upholstered design with visible wire mesh on the back.
Georgia O’Keeffe first saw and admired a fully upholstered Eames Wire Chair Low Base in the Girards’ Santa Fe home. She liked it so much that the Eameses gifted her a unique prototype version that was never sold. She called it the “smallest, best chair,” which inspired the current design.
The snake design was a favorite of Girard’s and also appeared in O’Keeffe’s home. Though Girard sketched and prototyped the snake table in the 1950s, this is the first time Herman Miller is taking it into production. The table has a white steel top with a black snake print and aluminum legs.
Starting May 20, the Eames Wire Chair Low Base will be available in a limited quantity of 300, with 250 chairs for North America ($1,995) and 50 chairs available in Japan. The Girard Snake Table will be available in a limited quantity of 100, with 90 tables available in North America ($895) and 10 tables available in Japan.
At NYCxDESIGN festival, Herman Miller will be offering an exclusive preview of the New Mexico collection, along with archival photographs taken by Alexander Girard and Charles Eames during visits to O’Keeffe’s Abiquiú home.
