What Made The Aeron Chair An Icon?

The Aeron, named after the Celtic god of war combined with aeronautics and aeration, is perhaps the most ubiquitous office chair ever produced. Initially created as a breakthrough in ergonomic design by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumph for Herman Mailer, the Aeron was so successful that its image was quickly co-opted by the dotcom bubble and associated with 90’s web startup corporate excess. Even before its initial unveiling in 1994, the Aeron chair had already been acquired the Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection. Why?    Stumpf, the son of a gerontology nurse, originally approached the design with an eye toward the elderly, emphasizing the necessity of the chair to conform to the contours of the sitter and not vice versa. As a result, the Aeron became endlessly adjustable. Watch the video below to hear Stumpf’s essential tennants of design, or click here to read more about the Aeron’s design process. 

And let us know what you think! Are you a fan of the Aeron and the later office chair designs it birthed? If not, what are some of your favorite designs? I say this as a man whose desk chair just broke…