In this second instalment celebrating International Women’s Day, writer Pauline Brettell shines the light on three women who have made an indelible mark on the design industry, and not only earned a seat at the table, but have each in fact created their own…
Words like ‘iconic’ and ‘visionary’ get sprinkled about fairly liberally in the design world, however, Eileen Gray, Ray Eames and Patricia Urquiola, are all responsible for designs that are firmly entrenched in our vocabulary, our spaces and, in my opinion, are both iconic and visionary. And while it is often the tallest buildings and the longest bridges that grab our collective attention, for me, the joy truly is in the detail and the everyday – those designs that improve the mundane and take an interior from interesting to inspirational, are the ones that delight me.
Image credit: Eileen Gray / Aram
There is no doubt in my mind that Eileen Gray would be one of those people I would like around my desert island dining table! Gray designed her Bibendum chair in 1926 – a design fact that never ceases to amaze me considering how contemporary it remains, while still being a very clear reflection of a design moment in time. The design was influenced by the then billboard famous ‘Bibendum’ Michelin Man, and rumour has it that this was her response as a feminist to Le Corbusier’s ‘Grand Confort’.
While Bibendum may be a personal favourite of mine, it is by no means her only legacy – with clients like James Joyce, Ezra Pound and Elsa Schiaparelli, her design story was bound to be an eclectic and exciting one. She was known for experimenting with materials and pushing the boundaries of what was typical in design at the time, and by doing this she created designs over a century ago that are still relevant and exciting! While embracing modernity she kept her eye firmly focussed on functionality and craftmanship – the Bibendum chair is not only cool, it is also comfortable!
Her architectural style is less known than her furniture designs, but remains equally important. Her more eclectic (less purist?) approach often mixed those cutting edge, modernist techniques of the day, with her own more personal expression. Her most well known architectural design – but arguably not as well known as it should be – is the house E-1027, which is routinely described as a masterpiece. Her adjustable steel and glass table of the same name, designed specifically for the house, has become another of Gray’s most well-recognised and yes, an ‘iconic’ design.
(On a side note – the history of the E-1027 house is an interesting chapter of intrigue and betrayal in that aforementioned Gray/le Corbusier saga that makes interesting reading)
Image credit: Eames
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts.” Ray Eames
Clearly the Eames legacy is a catalogue of designs that work good, look good and most certainly have lasted, as they continue to grace design schemes and concepts across the boards. Having an original Eames piece in the family as we settle in to the 21st century is as enviable as a Chippendale was to the Victorians! The Eames bent-plywood lounge chair, retains its place in the design hall of fame and is now, along with several other designs, part of the Vitra portfolio.
Image credit: Eames
But aside from the incredible design innovations that the came out of the Eames studio in the realm of furniture design and material innovation, Ray Eames was an accomplished artist in her own right, and her approach to colour and pattern influenced both interior and textile design, and had a lasting impact on mid-century modern interiors. Textiles are my personal passion, having designed, woven and sourced them in various forms over the years, so I have always been more interested in Eames’ woven designs, and her Dot pattern from 1947 can still be found adorning surfaces and covering cushions. The design, along with the original colour palette of ochre, olive green and black, remains as both a reflection of its mid-century roots and a pattern that is able to span the decades and retain an aesthetic that is intrinsically contemporary, over 70 years later.
Image credit: Patricia Urquiola
Fast forward to the 21st Century, Urquiola is another multi-faceted designer whose portfolio I have admired since first coming across her work at a design show in Valencia several years ago – and being a slightly more contemporary design inspiration than Gray and Eames, we can also subtly shift into technicolour in the visuals here!
A Spanish architect and designer, she is known for her vibrant designs, several of which have recently been demanding our attention in the hotel design arena. While her portfolio is again far-reaching and spans several disciplines, she has more than a few seating designs to pull up to the table. Her designs with brands like Moroso have always enjoyed attention, but for me, it is her Dudet chair with its mix of comfort, and minimalism, that completes this catalogue. Its bold and clearly ergonomic design gives us a form that looks inviting but also makes a strong aesthetic statement – it is one of those elements that draws you in, that exclamation mark as you scan a room.
Image credit: Mobilia
The standout point for me with these designers, is the longevity of good design – with work spanning over a hundred years, all three have created products, designs, and elements that not only sit comfortably within a contemporary space, but are in fact sought after to make that shift to the inspirational. In addition, they have embraced design as an all encompassing discipline, not limiting themselves to a particular medium but have applied what they see as intrinsic to good design to everything they have touched.
As women have they brought something different to the design table? I think so – and they have certainly not only earned a place at the table, but have played a part in shaping that table along with the space in which it finds itself.
Main image credit: Eileen Gray / Patricia Urquiola / Ray Eames
