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Why we matter
Our brand story is a story of innovation. Design for the environment, lean manufacturing, facility management, the science of ergonomics, even American modernism itself: Herman Miller and our design partners have had a hand in shaping it all. Here are some key developments in the life of the Herman Miller brand:
1905–1946
1905
Star Furniture Company
Founded in Zeeland, Michigan
1923
Herman Miller Furniture Company
Dirk Jan De Pree, until then Star’s general manager, purchases a controlling interest and renames it after his father-in-law, Herman Miller.
1932
Gilbert Rohde
De Pree takes the advice of designer Gilbert Rohde and shifts the company away from period reproductions and toward modern design; Rohde designs for Herman Miller until his death in 1944.
1944
Storage Wall
A LIFE cover story on architect George Nelson’s concept for organized storage catches the eye of DePree, who proceeds to hire Nelson as Herman Miller’s first design director.
1946
Eames Office
Charles Eames, with Eero Saarinen, debuts molded plywood furniture at the Museum of Modern Art. At Nelson’s insistence, Herman Miller begins a decades-long partnership with Charles and Ray Eames.
1946
The M
Before product photography had even been shot, Nelson Office’s Irving Harper had designed a new logo for Herman Miller: a bold French-curved M.
1948–1970
1948
Herman Miller Collection
Nelson establishes “a permanent collection designed to meet fully the requirements for modern living,” including designs by the Eames Office and Isamu Noguchi, among others.
1952
Alexander Girard
Nelson hires Alexander Girard to direct Herman Miller’s textile division; he serves in that role until 1973.
1956
Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
The Eames Office’s now-iconic design debuts, providing a midcentury take on the classic English club chair.
1961
Textiles & Objects Shop
Herman Miller’s first foray into retail, designed by Alexander Girard, opens in New York.
1964
Action Office
World’s first open-plan office system, drawn from Robert Propst’s famed research division
1970
Summer Picnic Posters
In-house graphic designer Steve Frykholm designs the first of 20 posters promoting the company’s annual summer picnic.
1971–1995
1971
Co/Struc
Herman Miller’s first foray into the healthcare industry is a quietly radical modular system conceived by researcher Robert Propst with designer Jack Kelley.
1976
Ergon Chair
World’s first research-based ergonomic office chair, designed by Bill Stumpf
1976
Modular Sofa Group
Early experiments in injection molded foam inspire Ray Wilkes’s beloved postmodern design.
1978
Herman Miller Research Corp.
Herman Miller hosts “Facility Influence on Productivity,” the conference that launched the entire profession of facility management.
1994
Aeron Chair
Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick’s highly ergonomic design becomes the first office chair to replace foam and fabric upholstery with breathable suspension.
1995
US Green Building Council
Construction of Herman Miller’s sustainable Greenhouse facility helps set the standard for U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification.
1996–2021
1996
HMPS
Herman Miller enters an ongoing engagement with Toyota focused on adapting their lean manufacturing philosophy to furniture; we call the new approach the Herman Miller Performance System.
2003
Mirra Chair
Designed by Berlin-based Studio 7.5, it’s the world’s first product to earn Cradle to Cradle certification and meet Design for the Environment (DfE) standard.
2013
Living Office
Introduction of a new research-informed toolkit for creating desirable workplace experiences and fueling greater outcomes for organizations.
2018
Cosm Chair
Studio 7.5 designs Herman Miller—and the industry’s— first self-adjusting ergonomic office chair.
2021
Revenio
Herman Miller’s entirely sustainable textile collection, comprising recycled and ocean-bound plastic materials.
2021
OE1
An office “unsystem” designed by Industrial Facility updates the open-plan office system to support today’s activity-based work environment.
