Herman Miller is bringing back an iconic stool from its archives
Herman Miller has brought a new archival piece from the founding director of its textile division back into production. The Girard Stool by Alexander Girard is a four-legged, 18.6-inch-tall stool that can be used as a footrest or seat. It comes with multiple options for geometric, patterned textile upholstery designed by Girard as well as Herman Miller’s current fabrics, fitting for a stool designed by someone who made more than 300 textile designs for Herman Miller from 1952 to 1973. [Photo: Herman Miller] First designed in 1967, the modernized Girard Stool was redesigned for sustainability, with recycled aluminum and bio-based foam, and it’s not the first archival furniture of Girard’s that Herman Miller has brought out of its vaults. In January, the furniture manufacturer brought back the Girard Flower Table, a scalloped-edge, blossom-inspired table, while the Girard Color Wheel Ottoman that the designer made comes in monochromatic color schemes. In 2023, they reintroduced a collection of original posters by Girard. Herman Miller’s Michigan-based parent company MillerKnoll reported a slight 0.4% year-over-year net sales increase on its March earnings call, and the company has found success in updating its bestsellers, like a sustainable update to its iconic Eames Lounge Chair last year. Reissuing archival pieces is a model Ikea has also played into, proving that sometimes a classic concept just needs a modern remake.
Herman Miller has brought a new archival piece from the founding director of its textile division back into production.
The Girard Stool by Alexander Girard is a four-legged, 18.6-inch-tall stool that can be used as a footrest or seat. It comes with multiple options for geometric, patterned textile upholstery designed by Girard as well as Herman Miller’s current fabrics, fitting for a stool designed by someone who made more than 300 textile designs for Herman Miller from 1952 to 1973.
First designed in 1967, the modernized Girard Stool was redesigned for sustainability, with recycled aluminum and bio-based foam, and it’s not the first archival furniture of Girard’s that Herman Miller has brought out of its vaults. In January, the furniture manufacturer brought back the Girard Flower Table, a scalloped-edge, blossom-inspired table, while the Girard Color Wheel Ottoman that the designer made comes in monochromatic color schemes. In 2023, they reintroduced a collection of original posters by Girard.
Herman Miller’s Michigan-based parent company MillerKnoll reported a slight 0.4% year-over-year net sales increase on its March earnings call, and the company has found success in updating its bestsellers, like a sustainable update to its iconic Eames Lounge Chair last year. Reissuing archival pieces is a model Ikea has also played into, proving that sometimes a classic concept just needs a modern remake.
