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A recent article in the New Zealand Herald lauded Kent Hemingway’s furniture store Homage, which sells a range of replica 20th Century modern chairs including the Eames Lounge and Ottoman (click here for the NZ article). This is a subject close to Living Edge’s heart, so we were very pleased when Eames Demetrios responded to the Herald’s article with a letter acting on behalf of his grandparents Charles & Ray Eames, whose legacy he protects. Below is an extract of Eames Demetrios’ letter, to read the full version dowload it here: eames_demetrios_letter_nz

What is sad about what Homage is doing is that they know it is relatively easy to make a chair that LOOKS like an Eames chair from across the room and to take advantage of the goodwill that comes from 50 + years of comfort. But the design of the chair is much deeper than that image from a distance. Chair designers don’t design silhouettes; they design multi-sensory experiences. Ironically, the customer that buys the copy may not fully understand what they have missed until they sit in their friend’s 15-year-old authentic chair to commiserate over their knock-off that broke.

Not all Eames chairs are expensive, but the Lounge Chair certainly is. Which brings me to another point: this knockoff Homage sells is still $2750. For that amount of money, his customers could have an authentic David Trubridge, the fantastic New Zealand designer. His chair Ruth and its footstool are magical. Authenticity is key to design, not simply from the standpoint of rewarding innovation like Trubridge’s, but because, as Charles used to say, design is a method of action.

In these matters, people do always ask about the legal side of things. I don’t know New Zealand law so I can’t say for sure. I do know that if Homage’s knockoffs were imported to Germany and many other countries, they could be seized as illegal contraband and destroyed. Why? Because as the article says, after seeing the legitimate product, Hemingway is trying to lead some buyers to believe they are getting a chair “faster, cheaper, and better.” Faster, maybe. Better, no. Cheaper – well, that’s comparing apples to oranges. You are not getting the same chair. You are not getting the authentic chair. Even his website can’t bring itself to use the name Eames.

But the real sadness is that Homage doesn’t spend its significant business creativity to commission a designer to make a new and different chair, and then source that. It is harder work, but the rewards will be longer and lasting – as will be the responsibilities. But if you doubt me, listen to Kent. Ironically enough, number 5 on his list of dream items is an authentic Eames Chair by Herman Miller. Yes, the real thing. Presumably knockoffs are good enough for his customers, but not for him. There is something wrong there. For starters, he is not being a terribly good host.

Sincerely,
Eames Demetrios
Director, Eames Office

What are your thoughts on replica designer furniture – would you ever buy a fake? We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to make a comment…