There is no wrong season for good design, but the holidays give us a chance to show it off. From iconic designers Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, and Joe Colombo come their legendary creations; from Ige Design and Onora, there are modern takes on historic designs. The Eameses felt all of design was a gift, a message of hope. In that spirit, we offer the following gift ideas:
The Eames Little Toy
The Little Toy (1952), by Charles and Ray Eames, was the second generation of a toy designed for their grandchildren echoing elements used in their home in the Pacific Palisades. Originally sold through the Sears catalogue, the kit of colored triangles, squares, wire frames, and connectors has been newly reissued by the family. For the Eameses, toys revealed an elegance, authenticity, and craftsmanship that they sought in their own modern, mass-produced work. For Ray and Charles, toys embodied the core principles of design as well as a child’s lack of self-consciousness. Charles famously said, “Toys and games are not as innocent as they look. Toys and games are the preludes to serious ideas.” A new online exhibition on the Eames Institute Web site and a forthcoming print companion, “Artifacts from the Eames Collection: Toys and Play,” tells more of just how this played out.
