In 1952, Alexander Girard joined Herman Miller as the founding director of their textile department. Close friends with Charles and Ray Eames, he felt most interior fabrics of the time were reserved, monotone, and somewhat drab. In response, Girard upended these values with his first collection full of bright colors, bold textures, and a solid sense of pattern. “I see my role – and have always seen my role – with Herman Miller as one of adding to what they have, making things more palatable,” he said. Originally designed for the Miller House in collaboration with architect Eero Saarinen, the genre-defining conversation pit featured a blooming centerpiece: the Girard Flower Table, bathed in brass.
Over the next two decades, he would go on to design over 300 pieces, each adding and redefining the genre of modernism and eventually post-modernism, a visionary of his time. His influence is felt throughout multiple different industries, having an impact stretching generations. Defining the Herman Miller textile department with a thorough sense of joy has certainly contributed to their influence in the industry, a mainstay for over 70 years, promoting stellar design and craftsmanship.
The original Girard Flower Table still lives as the centerpiece of the Miller House’s sunken conversation pit, with a modification of an altered tabletop in 1977. In 2022, Girard’s grandchildren, Aleishall Girard Maxon and Kori Girard, who co-direct the Girard Studio, along with Vitra, worked together to reimagine the table’s design.
With delicate tubular legs intertwining, adding movement to the piece like a spiraling birdie over a badminton, the Girard Flower Table keeps a light profile. These legs hold up a charming top with deep scalloped edges that mimic a springtime bloom. A powder coat finish keeps the piece grounded in reality, taking on a modern, deep charcoal or a brilliant pop of red. The Girard Flower Table comes in small and larges sizes, and works for indoor and outdoor use.
Photo: Courtesy of the Library of Congress
The famous conversation pit, a vibrant garnet red, heightens the metallic details in a delicious way. A lustrous brass finish elevates the look and gives a luxurious feel to the piece. A true Renaissance man, Girard would frequently dabble in other sectors of Herman Miller, from marketing, to packaging, exercising a plasticity in his work that translates elegantly to contemporary design. His workspaces were synonymous with who he was, preferring to constantly create and experiment close to home. Girard famously said, “I have no favorite material; anything can be used to create beauty if handled well.”
Alexander Girard \\\ Photo: Courtesy of Herman Miller Archives
For more on the Girard Flower Table, visit hermanmiller.com. For more on Girard Studio, head to girardstudio.com.
