The world had never seen anything like the Eames Shell Chair when we introduced it in 1950. Over the course of 75 years, it’s been iterated, innovated, adapted, adjusted, tailored, and transformed—but it’s always stayed true to its iconic form. To mark its anniversary, we dove deep into the archives of both Herman Miller and the Eames Office to create a comprehensive timeline, from the early days before launch to now. Take a look at the history of the Shell. | Herman Miller

Designed by Ray Wilkes in 1976 and reintroduced with optional power modules in 2021, Wilkes Modular Sofa Group is the result of a chance encounter the designer had with a new foam injection machine in the manufacturing area of the plant. It produced the clean lines and smooth, contoured shapes Wilkes had envisioned for his design—and it did so reliably. Every cushion came out perfectly square with rounded edges, like Chiclet gum, which lent the seating collection its widely known nickname. It wa