A. Girard

1907-1993

The primary focus of his wide-ranging oeuvre was textile design. Girard created numerous fabrics for the Herman Miller Company, favoring abstract forms and geometric patterns in a wide variety of color compositions. Many of his upholstery fabrics remain as timely and vital as ever and are still manufactured by Vitra today.

Girard made a name for himself in the fields of furniture, exhibition, interior and graphic design. Moreover, he was one of the world's most important collectors of folk art. The objects and textiles acquired by Girard on his extensive travels provided him with a rich source of inspiration and ideas. When Rolf Fehlbaum, the son of Vitra's founding family, visited Alexander Girard at his Santa Fe home in 1960, Fehlbaum wrote a letter to his parents telling of the deep impression it had made on him, and describing it as the most fascinating house he had ever seen in the United States. Vitra and the Vitra Design Museum have devoted themselves to the revival of Alexander Girard's work.