Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen created the Organic Chair collection for the occasion of the 'Organic Design in Home Furnishings' competition organised by the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1941. This chair was ahead of its time in 1940, and was not able to be produced on a large scale until 1950, by Vitra. The Organic chairs are particularly comfortable thanks to their organically shaped shells, which follow the shape of the body, making them ideal for long winter afternoons reading by the fireplace. The Organic reading chair can be set in a low, backwards-tilted position.
Vitra was founded in 1950 by Willi Fehlbaum and Erika Fehlbaum. The design furniture company Vitra is based near Basel, Switzerland. Starting in 1981, the design brand Vitra grew and opened many subsidiaries worldwide. The founders had spotted Eames Lounge Chairs by Charles and Ray Eames during a trip to New York, USA. They were immediately captivated and therefore requested a license to produce these pieces of furniture in Europe. In 1956, Vitra acquired this license, which became one of the keys to the brand's success.