'Aluminium Group' Desk Chair by Charles Eames & Ray Eames

Charles & Ray Eames EA108 Aluminium Group Chair for Vitra

This EA108 Aluminium Group chair by Charles and Ray Eames is a refined example of mid-century office design, produced by Vitra and retaining the maker’s labels to the underside. Designed as part of the celebrated Aluminium Group series, the EA108 was conceived as a comfortable yet elegant chair suited to desk or meeting environments.

The chair features a black hopsack upholstered seat and back, stretched between a polished aluminium frame. Unlike traditional upholstered chairs where fabric is padded over a solid structure, the Eames Aluminium Group uses a suspended upholstery system, allowing the material to act as a supportive sling. This construction provides both flexibility and comfort while maintaining the chair’s slim architectural profile.

The frame is finished in chromed aluminium with characteristic curved armrests and sits on a four star swivel base, giving it a light and balanced appearance. The EA108 is the non tilting version of the Aluminium Group desk chairs, designed specifically for conference tables and office desks where upright posture and freedom of movement are preferred.

Dimensions

Max width: 55 cm

Max height: 83 cm

Max depth: approx. 55 cm

Designer - Charles & Ray Eames

Charles Eames (1907–1978) and Ray Eames (1912–1988) were among the most influential designers of the twentieth century. Charles studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis before establishing an architectural practice, while Ray, born Bernice Alexandra Kaiser, trained as a painter at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in New York. The pair met at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in the late 1930s and married in 1941, beginning a lifelong creative partnership.

Working from their studio in Venice, California, the Eameses collaborated with manufacturers including Herman Miller in the United States and Vitra in Europe. They are best known for pioneering moulded plywood and fibreglass furniture, producing iconic designs such as the Lounge Chair and Ottoman (1956), the Moulded Plywood Chairs (1946) and the Aluminium Group seating (1958). Their work extended beyond furniture into architecture, exhibitions, and filmmaking, all guided by a belief that design should solve problems while improving everyday life.u