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Ian Callum's Latest Project Is a Restomodded Eames Lounge Chair

Photo credit: HermanMiller
Photo credit: HermanMiller


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The automotive world is not the only one with design icons. Take the Eames Lounge Chair, for instance. The signature work of legendary industrial designers Charles and Ray Eames may not have a sizzling name, but its simple and elegant construction has proven timeless, instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with mid-century modern furniture. The enduring product has changed little since it was first introduced by Herman Miller in 1956, leaving what is in theory very little room for improvement.

But Ian Callum, former head of design at Jaguar and current face of the independent firm Callum Designs, already knows a thing or two about improving icons. This, after all, is the man who first revolutionized Aston Martin with the introduction of the Vanquish, then revived Jaguar Land Rover's design department, and more recently, revolutionized the Vanquish itself with last year's $670,000 Vanquish 25 by Callum. Independence has allowed him to chase projects outside the automotive realm, leading to his first foray into the world of furniture. The result is a stunning take on the Eames chair.

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We learn this from Callum's interview with the design magazine Wallpaper, which published online today. A note: The Eames chair shown above is the standard-issue Herman Miller unit; you'll have to click on the Wallpaper interview to see photos of Callum's modified example. His take on the Eames chair retains much of its elegant and timeless shape while injecting a contemporary automotive influence that reflects his decades in the industry. The result is a lounger that replaces bulk with lightness, both in a design sense—through well-placed materials that are trimmer than the traditional plywood structure—and in a literal sense, through copious use of carbon fiber. Callum's connection to the automotive world helped him source leather from a Scottish group called Bridge of Weir, while exposed textured fabric on the back brings a lighter touch to panels traditionally adorned in finishing wood.

When contrasted to the standard Eames , still in production from original manufacturer Herman Miller, it becomes clear that Callum's take on the chair is a somewhat radical departure from the source material.

Callum's beautiful lounge chairs are, currently, just prototypes. Though his interview seems to imply that the product could be made available to interested customers, this is currently just a one-off exploration meant to showcase the breadth of talent that Callum and his team possess. It would be an unexpected choice for such an automotive legend to go into furniture design, but unusual career directions are fitting when it comes to the topic of Eames furniture. After all, Charles and Ray Eames themselves had a substantial second career as filmmakers.

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