We hope everyone had a lovely Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day may be deemed a “Hallmark holiday” these days, but nothing can beat an old-fashioned, handwritten letter. Who doesn’t have a memento-filled shoebox stashed somewhere? Luckily, these designers did — and it’s no surprise that the love and creativity they put into their design work translates to their personal narratives. Couples Eero and Aline Saarinen and Charles and Ray Eames were also friends with one another, so we can imagine they had some great double dates.
Eero Saarinen is known for famous furniture designs like Tulip table and chairs, but he is also a hopeless romantic.
He married editor and art critic Aline Louchheim in 1953, after she was assigned to interview him about his designs for the GM Technical Center in Detroit. She later left the New York Times to join Eero Saarinen’s namesake firm.
Even outside of their shared work, the couple encouraged one other’s pursuits and had an equal partnership that was progressive for the time. Eero would assist Aline with dinner after his long work shifts before they retreated to a private study.
The couple also had the joint signature; Eero signed his letters as “E of AE” and Aline, “A of AE.”
Together they had a son who they named Eames after Eero’s collaborator, Charles Eames.
Eero Saarinen passed away in 1961, but Aline continued his legacy by overseeing his incomplete projects as well as contributing to a CBS special and book about his life works.
Charles and Ray Eames have a huge portfolio of famous designs, including the Eames Lounge Chair – but they also have a lesser-known love story.
Ray and Charles met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where Ray studied painting and Eames ran the Industrial Design department.
This letter includes Charles’ proposal to Bernice Alexandra “Ray” Kaiser, in which he writes, “I love you very much and would like to marry you very very soon.” They married in 1941 and moved to California to design, build, and live in the famous “Eames House.” The couple died a decade apart to the exact day, with Charles preceding Ray.
The couple’s affectionate words weren’t just exchanged between them. Above is a letter from Charles and Ray Eames to Sales Manager of Heman Miller, Jim Eppinger, sweetly signed “r + e.”
