I am finally getting around to writing up my visit to the Modernica factory in downtown Los Angeles.  Between hosting mulit-course food tasting parties, working fulltime, and keeping up with every new food destination popping up in town, writing about the things I love sometimes have to wait. I figured since I am still on my sugar high from Scoops, I should get to it right now.

 

A few weeks ago, I was invited to get a lowdown as to how things are done, by the co-owner and founder of Modernica, Frank Novak.  What ensued for the next couple hours was not a heated debate about design authenticity, but more a discussion of what two enthusiasts of good design had to share with one another. My guess is that I was invited down there by my honest display of confusion that I proclaimed in my article regarding the Eames Demetrios letter in Dwell magazine last month.  As for making sense of my messy note taking while walking and talking, well I hope what I recap is accurate.

 

The main question at hand was how are they, Modernica, able to manufacture the exact same shell chairs that Eames has not authorized the reproduction of other than to Herman MIller? The Modernica chairs are manufactured in fiberglass, the original material as opposed to the polypropylene of the authorized Herman Miller ones.  As for the “original mold” being used on the Modernica ones, what is really happening is that the shells are being made by the original manufacturer that were engineered by Sol Fingerhut of Zenith Plastics, who pioneered the process of pressure molded fiberglass.

 

 

 

As a lesson in patents, There are two kinds of patents, a design patent and a utility patent.  For whatever reason, there is no true design patent on this particular Eames shell chair. Take, for instance, the Aeron Chair by Heman Miller. This chair came out about 14 years ago and what was actually utility patented on this product was the fact that the arms were attached to the back of the chair and moved with it.  Distinguishing if the utility is unique to the particular design is a tough one.

 

Of course, there was no avoiding the discussion of the “sustainability” of both manufacturers’ chairs.  We came to the conclusion that the term “sustainability” really has been over used and abused and misused.  In everyone’s desire to be more green and more eco-friendly, the term is as general as seeing on a box of Cracker Jacks “All Natural”.  For the record, the fiberglass is recyclable in making other fiberglass items, such as fiberglass rail ties.  The fiberglass shell chair also has a shelf life of 20 + years.  The rainbow, lollipop hues that the Modernica version comes in could only be achieved by using fiberglass. Personally, the color choices of the authorized version fall flat for me and ironically come across as the knock-off.  Funny how that works.

 

Is design or manufacturing as timeless as it once was?  Maybe this should be the question, not sustainability. Most accessible items, though well designed, are not well-crafted and are meant to be somewhat disposable with a shelf life of 3-5 years.  Places like Ikea and West Elm cater to this mentality. I find myself shopping at these places less and less.  The guilt of throwing away a $200 dollar bookshelf after 3 years was killng me.  Are there so few options that we have been reduced to shopping for items we only care to have for a couple years?  Furniture seems to be as bad as the automobile industry or my constant wardrobe crisis. What happened to seeing a 20 year old VW on the road?  What happened to buying well made clothing that will last a lifetime, let alone a season.  Are we going to pass on furniture to our children?  Are these question you ask yourself when purchasing high ticket items?

 

 

These questions of course came to my mind as we strolled through the two well stocked warehouse floors of their vintage furniture and knick knacks collection, organized by color and material and mainly from the 60’s and 70’s. I saw endless rows and shelves of wall sculptures and tapestries, space age buffets and sofas, signed Pierre Cardin furniture sets and anything the ulitmate bachelor pad could need.  So this is where all the stuff I have been hunting for on ebay and at swap meets has ended up-  in a prop house!  SIGH.

 

I recently came across some handsome, re-upholstered and re-finished vintage chairs at a high-end interiors boutique in Silverlake.  They were beautiful, sturdy, unique and extremely well-crafted.  They had stood the test of time already and a few years ago I would have thought that $1700 for a pair of “used” arm chairs was outrageous.  Now I look upon them with complete adoration.  There have been very few times I have splurged on newly made furniture.  The Jonathan Adler Woodhouse arm chair and ottoman, I sadly will admit, came with a big price tag and a healthy dose of buyer’s remorse.  I had been temporarily swayed by the trend of “Hollywood Regency” and what I got in turn was nothing better than a MItchell Gold, shabby, not even shabby chic, piece of busted wood.  Live and learn.  

 

 

Coincidentally, I recently went on an AIA tour of modern homes in Venice Beach that some friends invited me on and the listing of what one of the homes was furnished with, carefully stated, “Eames inspired” shelving.  Well, this brought my discussion the previous week full circle and reminded me of the Ted Muehling candlestick debate versus the Roost silver candlestick on designsponge:  Inspired or knock-off?  Clearly, all design is derivative of previously seen design, but at one point does it become something that is unique? The Eames-like shelving units that Modernica produces are Eames inspired because they do not hold true to the specific measurements and configurations that Charles and Ray Eames intended.  However, times have changed and we all have more stuff to store and need more places to put it. 

 

 

The George Nelson saucer lamps that Modernica offers are authorized reproductions and were acquired from Howard Miller in 1989.  The owners of the Nelson lamps changed hands about four times by my count during our conversation. Modernica is partnered with the person who was an employee of the 3rd owner and has the original know-how and engineering of the iconic lamps.  They are the ones sold at DWR, if you were wondering.

 

 

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Modernica. They have been operating in LA, creating these high-quality pieces and continue to create other mid-century inspired items.  One unique item I got a sneak peek of was the new lamp shades they created that were inspired by the George Nelson Saucer lamps.  These lampshades are soon to be released and hope to fill the gap for the consumer with an affordable, designer shade for that perfect vintage lamp base.  It strives to be better than Lamps Plus but costing less than a custom made shade.  I think my eye is so accustomed to seeing the material and engineering of the saucer form and to see it manipulated in a new fashion was rather jarring for me.  I applaud the attempt at foraging a new usage for this particular engineering technique, but I think it will be a difficult persuasion to the critical eye. But, I could be wrong.

 

 

Here’s some food for thought:  Is there a difference between knock-offs and unauthorized high quality versions?  I still don’t know the answer to this and I suppose it really depends on what the design is.  For something like a designer handbag, I would not be caught dead wearing some fake interlocking C’s or G’s, but displaying a bright candy colored fiberglass chair seems so different.  I guess the major difference is for the handbag one is buying it for the designer line it hails from and the chair is being purchased for simply, it’s lines.