Low table by Isamu Noguchi (1945)Sofa by Isamu Noguchi (1950)Bucket chair by Charles and Ray Eames (1950–1953)Aeron chair by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf (1990s)
Herman Miller was founded in 1905 as the Star Furniture Co. Initially the company produced furniture, especially bedroom suites, in historic revival styles.[3] In 1919, it was renamed the Michigan Star Furniture Co. under then-president Dirk Jan De Pree. De Pree and his father-in-law, Herman Miller, (born Harm Mulder on 7 September 1867 in Hoogemeeden, Groningen, Netherlands)[4][5] purchased 51% of the company stock in 1923 and renamed it the Herman Miller Furniture Company.[6]
With the coming of the Great Depression, the company faced bankruptcy until De Pree met Gilbert Rohde, an up-and-coming modernist designer.[3][6] Rohde convinced De Pree that the furniture industry's focus on historical reproduction furniture in lieu of new designs was not only out of touch with the consumer, but fundamentally dishonest in the practices used to make furniture pieces appear older and of higher quality than they were.[6] De Pree acquired the rights to Rohde's modernist furniture designs in exchange for a three percent royalty on any furniture sold. In 1933, Herman Miller debuted a line of modern furniture at the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago, Illinois.[3][6] In 1941, the company opened a showroom in the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, and another in New York City. Under Rohde's supervision, Herman Miller entered the contract office furniture market in 1942, with the introduction of the "Modular Executive Office" Group (EOG).[3]
Rohde died in 1944[6] and was replaced by architectGeorge Nelson, who joined the firm as director of design in 1945.[3] Over the next four decades, Nelson influenced Herman Miller through both his personal designs and the designers that he recruited, including Isamu Noguchi, Charles and Ray Eames, and textile designer Alexander Girard.[3] Beginning in the late 1940s, the period under Nelson's guidance saw Herman Miller produce some of the company's most recognizable pieces of furniture, including the Noguchi table, Eames Lounge Chair,[7]Marshmallow sofa, Ball clock (actually produced by Howard Miller Clock Company), and the Sling sofa.[3]
The company reformed as Herman Miller, Inc. in 1960.[3] De Pree continued as Herman Miller CEO until 1961, when he was forced by illness to step down. He was succeeded by his son, Hugh De Pree, who was CEO until the mid-1980s. Florida architect Gene Leedy designed a residence for De Pree on Marco Island in 1979. Hugh De Pree was succeeded by his brother Max De Pree, who held the position until 1990.[3]
In 1961, Herman Miller set up the Herman Miller Research Division, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[3] This division developed the "Action Office" line in 1964 under the supervision of Robert Propst and with the design assistance of George Nelson's New York design studio.[3] Though the initial line, known as "Action Office I", was not a success, it led Propst to develop the "Action Office II" line, which introduced the office cubicle.[3] In 1978, Action Office II was renamed simply "Action Office". Herman Miller's line of Action Office products generated sales of over $5 billion as of 1998[update].[3]
George Nelson's influence at Herman Miller gradually declined during the 1970s as new designers joined the company, including Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf, who in the 1990s developed the highly-successful Aeron chair.[8] In 1981, Herman Miller started to work with the Italian designer Clino Trini Castelli on the process of designing physical environments, a so-called Design Primario.[3][9] Designer Tom Newhouse introduced the "Newhouse Group" of freestanding furniture in 1987, and assisted with the "Ethospace" wall panel system for the Action Office line. Ray Wilkes designed the "Modular Seating Group", popularly known as the Chicklet Chairs.[3]
In 2010, the firm acquired Colebrook Bosson Saunders, a designer and manufacturer of ergonomic furniture.[10]
The acquisition of Knoll by Herman Miller was announced in April 2021 in a $1.8 billion deal. The acquisition was closed on July 19, 2021, and the company was rebranded as MillerKnoll.[11][12]
Brands
In addition to Herman Miller and Knoll, the company owns notable brands including Design Within Reach, Colebrook Bosson Saunders, DatesWeiser, Edelman Leather, Holly Hunt, Geiger, HAY, Maharam, Muuto.[13], and NaughtOne.
Workplace
In March 2008, Herman Miller settled an antitrust lawsuit with the states of New York, Michigan, and Illinois for $750,000.[14] The lawsuit focused on Herman Miller's use of a suggested retail pricing policy.
According to CNN Money, as of March 2011[update], Herman Miller was ranked as the second most admired company in the Home Equipment, Furnishing division.[15]
In April 2023 CEO Andi Owen scolded employees for worrying about bonus pay in an internal town hall meeting.[16] The video went viral for her criticizing employees after Owen told them to "leave Pity City." Owen had reportedly received $4 million in bonuses in 2022.[17] Some social media users criticized her comments as "unhinged", "nasty" and "toxic".[18] A company representative insisted the video was taken out of context and was a small exchange in a mostly positive town hall meeting that went for 75 minutes.[19][20] Owen later apologised to employees.[21]
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