Zeeland, Michigan, January 27, 2025 -- Alexander Girard (1907-1993) became the founding director of Herman Miller’s textile division in 1952, where he spent over two decades saturating offices and homes with his signature dose of playful color and sense of joy. Working alongside his close friends and colleagues George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, Girard is one of the pioneering figures of American modern design.
Throughout the 1950s, Girard collaborated with famed architect Eero Saarinen to design the legendary Miller House in Columbus, Indiana. Incorporating pieces by Nelson, Eames, and Saarinen with his own designs, Girard’s interior furnishings injected intimacy and warmth throughout the modernist abode. He decorated a genre-defining conversation pit—a sunken lounge area with built-in seating—with his signature textiles, making it the heart of the home. He designed a custom brass, flower-shaped occasional table for the conversation pit centerpiece. The table was modified with an altered top in 1977 and still stands in its original location. In 2022, Girard Studio, co-directed by Girard’s grandchildren, Aleishall Girard Maxon and Kori Girard, and Vitra carefully reinterpreted the table design.
Now available from Herman Miller, the Girard Flower Table is a modern take on a blooming flower with a round metal table top with scalloped edges and a repeating petal-shaped pattern to create the base. The table is available in small and large sizes and anthracite and vivid red colors. The dual sizes and colors are designed to be positioned together or apart. Made of powder-coated steel, the table is functional for indoor and outdoor use, in a variety of settings.
Alexander Girard was born in New York City and raised in Florence, Italy. He studied architecture at the Royal Institute of British Architects in England, the Royal School of Architecture in Rome, and New York University (NYU). In 1932, he opened a studio in New York, which he moved to Detroit in 1937. In 1947, he contributed to Saarinen’s award-winning design submission to the St. Louis Gateway competition, the St. Louis Gateway Arch. In 1951, a noted colorist and textile designer, he began working with Herman Miller and was named the founding director of the brand’s textile division. He created numerous designs and hundreds of fabrics for Herman Miller, favoring abstract shapes and geometric patterns in a wide variety of color compositions.
“What Girard brought to modern design was a warmness and a humanity. He wasn’t afraid of using textures and bright colors, which George Nelson and Herman Miller embraced,” says Amy Auscherman, Head of Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. “He brought a levity to an otherwise cold perception of modernism at the time, which came through in every room of the Miller House and other well-known interiors he designed—vibrant dining experiences like La Fonda del Sol and L'Etoile—and his showcase personal residences in Grosse Pointe, Michigan and Santa Fe, New Mexico.”
The Girard Flower Table can be purchased in stores and online at Herman Miller and through Herman Miller and MillerKnoll dealers for contract customers. Timing and availability by region may vary. Visit the Herman Miller website for your region for availability.
About Herman Miller
Over the last century, Herman Miller has been guided by a commitment to problem-solving designs that inspire the best in people. Along the way, Herman Miller has forged critical relationships with the most visionary designers of the day, from mid-century greats like George Nelson, the Eames Office, and Isamu Noguchi, to research-oriented visionaries like Robert Propst and Bill Stumpf—and with today's groundbreaking studios like Industrial Facility and Studio 7.5. From the birth of ergonomic furniture to manufacturing some of the twentieth century's most iconic pieces, Herman Miller has pioneered original, timeless design that makes an enduring impact, while building a lasting legacy of design, innovation, and social good. Herman Miller is a part of MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic brands that comes together to design the world we live in. For more information, visit hermanmiller.com/about
About Girard Studio
Girard Studio was created by the Girard family to preserve and promote the design legacy and archive of Alexander Girard. As the fifth generation of artists, craftsmen, designers and selectors, Girard Studio is devoted to the power of color, visual symbols, and patterns in everyday life. Girard Studio is honored to continue sharing the unique story of Alexander Girard with the world. For more information, visit girardstudio.com
Herman Miller is the sole authorized manufacturer of furniture designs by Alexander Girard for all markets except Europe and the Middle East. For these regions, please contact Vitra.
Resources
Images courtesy of Herman Miller