Alexander Girard Designs for Herman Miller
Alexander Girard, renowned mid-20th century architect and designer, used color and pattern joyfully and unselfconsciously in an era of muted minimalism. As the head of Herman Miller’s textile division from 1952 until 1973, he designed over 300 textiles — many which feature surprising color combinations, folk art-inspired graphics, and geometric abstractions. This expert set highlights a few of our artifacts from Girard’s tenure at Herman Miller.
THF802250
Ottoman Footstool, from The Girard Group Series, 1966-1967
Alexander Girard was best known as a textile designer, but he also practiced architecture, graphic design, interior design, and furniture design. This ottoman design, initially created as part of Girard's large-scale redesign for Braniff International Airways, was later sold by Herman Miller Inc. in the Girard Group Series. Girard-designed textiles were available for the upholstery too -- this one features his colorful "Jacob's Coat" pattern.
View ArtifactSwatch, "Small Triangles," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1952
Early modernist design was starkly minimal, but mid-century modern designer Alexander Girard's work challenged and expanded the movement. Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns.
View ArtifactWallpaper Sample, "Retrospective," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1952
Alexander Girard, renowned mid-century modern designer, began designing colorful and abstract textiles because nothing suitable was available on the market. Similarly, wallpaper appropriate for modern spaces was in short supply. In 1952, Girard designed a line of hand-screened wallpaper for Herman Miller Inc., which featured repetitive geometric patterns in a range of colors.
View ArtifactSwatches, "Hopsak," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1963-1973
Early modernist design was starkly minimal, but mid-century modern designer Alexander Girard's work challenged and expanded the movement. Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns.
View ArtifactWallpaper Sample, "Facets," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1952
Alexander Girard, renowned mid-century modern designer, began designing colorful and abstract textiles because nothing suitable was available on the market. Similarly, wallpaper appropriate for modern spaces was in short supply. In 1952, Girard designed a line of hand-screened wallpaper for Herman Miller Inc., which featured repetitive geometric patterns in a range of colors.
View ArtifactEnvironmental Enrichment Panel, "Girls," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1972
Alexander Girard, Herman Miller Textile Division's Director of Design, created a series of forty folk art-inspired graphic panels aptly named "Environmental Enrichment Panels" in 1972. They were meant to enrich the office environment, adorning the moveable walls of Robert Propst's Action Office II -- more commonly known as the cubicle.
View ArtifactSwatch, "Nastri," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1960
Early modernist design was starkly minimal, but mid-century modern designer Alexander Girard's work challenged and expanded the movement. Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns.
View ArtifactEnvironmental Enrichment Panel, "Triple Eyes," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1972
Alexander Girard, Herman Miller Textile Division's Director of Design, created a series of forty folk art-inspired graphic panels aptly named "Environmental Enrichment Panels" in 1972. They were meant to enrich the office environment, adorning the moveable walls of Robert Propst's Action Office II -- more commonly known as the cubicle.
View ArtifactDesign Drawing, "Triple Eyes," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1971
Alexander Girard, Herman Miller Textile Division's Director of Design, created a series of forty folk art-inspired graphic panels aptly named "Environmental Enrichment Panels" in 1972. They were meant to enrich the office environment, adorning the moveable walls of Robert Propst's Action Office II -- more commonly known as the cubicle. This drawing from 1971 laid out the design for the "Triple Eyes" panel.
View ArtifactNecktie, Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1952-1973
Alexander Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns. Girard also designed a series of silk neckties, most likely as a giveaway to the Herman Miller salesforce.
View ArtifactNecktie, Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1952-1973
Alexander Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns. Girard also designed a series of silk neckties, most likely as a giveaway to the Herman Miller salesforce.
View Artifact"Textiles & Objects" Banner, Designed by Alexander Girard, 1961
In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and stocked it with textiles, furniture, handcrafted objects, and even folk art from around the world. This iconic banner -- with screen printed text on Girard's "April" textile -- hung in the storefront window.
View ArtifactMock-Up of Girard Mirror Design, 1960-1962
In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and created many of the goods sold inside, including a colorful fabric-covered mirror. This design mock-up shows a possible geometric and color combination for the mirror.
View ArtifactSwatches, "Trispot," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1956
Early modernist design was starkly minimal, but mid-century modern designer Alexander Girard's work challenged and expanded the movement. Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns.
View ArtifactPrototype Mirror, Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller's Textiles & Objects Shop, 1960-1962
In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and stocked it with his own textiles, furniture, and objects, like this prototype mirror. The shop also sold furniture designed by other Herman Miller designers, like Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson, and folk art objects carefully selected by Girard.
View ArtifactMock-Up of Girard Mirror Design, 1960-1962
In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and created many of the goods sold inside, including a colorful fabric-covered mirror. This design mock-up shows a possible geometric and color combination for the mirror.
View ArtifactThrow Pillow, "Castle", Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller's Textiles & Objects Shop, 1960-1962
In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and stocked it with his own textiles, furniture, and objects, like this pillow. The shop also sold furniture designed by other Herman Miller designers, like Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson, and folk art objects carefully selected by Girard.
View ArtifactTextile, "April," Designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, 1960
Early modernist design was starkly minimal, but mid-century modern designer Alexander Girard's work challenged and expanded the movement. Girard humanized modernism through his colorful and whimsical textile, furniture, graphic, and interior designs. As the Director of Design in Herman Miller's Textile Division from 1952 until 1973, Girard designed over 300 textiles, often using bold color combinations and abstract patterns.
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