In the early 1940s, Charles and Ray Eames spent several years developing and refining a technique for molding plywood into three-dimensional shapes, creating a series of furniture items and sculptures in the process. Among these initial designs, the two-part elephant proved to be the most technically challenging due to its tight compound curves, and the piece never went into serial production. After a limited edition in 2007, Vitra has added a plywood version of the legendary Eames Elephant to its standard portfolio. Several years ago, the Eames Elephant was also launched in plastic, making it available to the target group for which it was originally intended: children. And a smaller version – with an identical design but reduced in scale – likewise comes in plastic in a choice of colors.

Ray and Charles Eames were both trained in the arts, with Ray having studied painting under Hans Hoffman and Charles studying architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. Their joint collaborations began at Cranbook Academy of Art, soon leading to experimental work in molded plywood products. After they married in 1941, they moved to Los Angeles and worked closely with Evans Products Company to produce a leg splint design for the war effort. Their new funding allowed them to explore furniture design, resulting in their molded plywood furniture for Herman Miller in the mid 1940s. Countless innovations followed including modular shelving, fiberglass furniture, and cast aluminum chairs, all of which are icons today. Their genius extended to film (such as Powers of Ten), graphic design, and exhibition design as well, often working with IBM.