Keeping Great Design Alive: A Thought on Reproductions, Access, and Respect

In the world of furniture design, there’s an ongoing conversation around reproductions—what they mean, whether they’re ethical, and how they should exist. It’s a topic I think deserves a calm, honest explanation rather than outrage or assumptions.

First, clarity matters.

When we create a reproduction, we never present it as an original. We are transparent about what it is. There’s no attempt to mislead, imitate branding, or claim authorship where it doesn’t belong. A reproduction is exactly that: a respectful remake of a historic design.

But the more important point goes beyond labels.

Many iconic furniture pieces—whether associated with designers like Charles and Ray Eames or Ludwig Mies van der Rohe—have become so rare, so expensive, or so locked away in private collections and museums that they no longer exist in everyday life. Some are no longer produced at all. Others are financially unattainable for all but a very small audience.

When that happens, design doesn’t just become exclusive—it risks being forgotten.

Reproductions play a role in keeping great design alive, not frozen in time. They allow people to experience these forms as they were intended: used, lived with, and appreciated in real spaces. Chairs aren’t just ideas—they’re objects meant to be sat in, touched, and integrated into daily life.

For us, reproducing a piece isn’t about copying for convenience. It’s about preservation through participation. It’s a way of honoring designs that mattered enough to influence generations of furniture makers, architects, and homeowners. In that sense, reproductions are closer to remembrance than replacement.

There’s also the question of access.

Design shouldn’t only exist at auction houses or behind velvet ropes. Making thoughtfully crafted furniture more attainable isn’t about diminishing its value—it’s about expanding its impact. A great design doesn’t lose meaning when more people can enjoy it. If anything, it proves its relevance.

Could we sell other types of furniture? Of course.

But we choose these pieces because they carry history, intention, and cultural weight. They’re not arbitrary shapes—they represent moments when design moved forward. Offering them today is a conscious choice, not an easy one.

Reproductions, when done honestly and respectfully, are not an attempt to erase history. They are a way of continuing it.

Great design deserves to be remembered. And sometimes, the best way to remember something is to keep it in use.