Charles & Ray Eames

Born in St. Louis in 1907, Charles Eames briefly studied architecture before launching his own practice and later joining Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he met Ray Kaiser in 1940. A painter trained under Hans Hofmann, Ray collaborated with Charles on their winning MoMA Organic Design entry, marrying in 1941 and moving to Los Angeles. There, they pioneered molded plywood techniques during WWII for Navy splints, founding the Eames Office and creating iconic pieces like the LCW chair and Eames House.