Herman Miller

D.J. De Pree, Herman Miller’s son-in-law bought the Michigan Star Furniture Company with the help of Miller in 1923. In honor of his father-in-law, Pree renamed the company to Herman Miller Furniture Company which was later changed to Herman Miller, Inc. in 1960. Initially working with traditional wood furniture, the company began exploring new materials during The Great Depression. To increase their sale and to decrease the cost, the company employed modern designs and joined hands with designers including Gilbert Rohde, Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, and Alexander Girard. With such great designers on-board, the company manufactured several iconic mid-20th century modernist furniture pieces.