Eames® Fibreglass Armchair

A simple, gracious form that fits any body and every place

Charles and Ray Eames realised their first successful, single-shell form in 1950 with the Molded Fibreglass Chairs. However, when the environmental risks associated with fibreglass production became more widely understood, the decision was made to discontinue fibreglass shell production until a more suitable material could be found. In 2001, Herman Miller reintroduced the Moulded Plastic Chair in polypropylene.

In addition to being 100 percent recyclable, the polypropylene shell chair's subtle matte texture offers a soft tactility as well as notable durability.Eames Moulded Plastic Chairs are available as side chairs or armchairs, and in a choice of colours, including archival or new options. Armchair and side chair shells can be fully upholstered in a variety of textiles; side chair shells can be specified with an upholstered seat pad. A choice of bases rounds out your customization options.

Thanks to a new proprietary process of producing fiberglass, Herman Miller is once again able to produce the Herman Miller - Eames® original 1950 Moulded Fiberglass Chair safely by means of a less volatile, monomer-free “dry bind” process.

Like the original shell chairs, our new fiberglass finish has the same covetable surface variation and tell-tale fiberglass striation that have attracted avid vintage collectors for decades.

Available in both the arm and side chair formats in eight archival colours, the chairs can be configured with a choice of wire, dowel leg, stacking, rocker, and 4-leg bases. An array of trim, finely tailored Hopsak fabrics designed by Alexander Girard, Herman Miller’s Textile Director from 1952 to 1973, round out the collection of shell customisation options, fully restoring the integrity of the original 1953 shell chair offerings. All chairs can be recycled through the Herman Miller Take Back Program. 

For Every Need

Charles Eames famously said, “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.” With the moulded plastic, fiberglass, and wood shell chairs—as well as the wire chair—the Eames have created a universal response to what everyone wants from a chair: a simple, gracious form that fits any body and every place. 

For everyone

The Eames Shell Chair was designed on the principle of adaptability, offering innumerable configurations to serve a wide variety of applications and environments.

It’s what makes the chair a classic worthy of museum collections—and living rooms, Laundromats, lobbies, and cafés.

It’s what makes it a great first piece of furniture to buy in your twenties, that’s still worthy and relevant enough to hand down to your children 20 years later. A diverse selection of shell, base, colour, and finish options enable you to create your perfect chair. Just like every person, every chair has a story.

Brand: Herman Miller

Designer: Charles and Ray Eames