George Nelson laid out five tenets of Herman Miller's design philosophy 50 years ago:
- What you make is important.
- Design is an integral part of the business.
- The product must be honest.
- You decide what you will make.
- There is a market for good design.
Herman Miller's belief in design as a way to solve significant problems for people, stemming from the pragmatic view of the Bauhaus, was taken up by Gilbert Rohde and brought to Herman Miller, was expressed by George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, was interpreted by Alexander Girard and Bob Propst, and has been reinforced by Bill Stumpf, Jack Kelley, and Don Chadwick. It continues with many other of today's leading designers from around the world.
While fashion and style have their place, the main criterion for a new product has remained constant: Does it truly solve a problem that people care about in a way that improves upon other solutions, or pioneers a new and better answer altogether?
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