Manufacturer: Vitra

Designer: Charles & Ray Eames, 1969

This is an original, genuine Vitra piece.

The EA217 is a height-adjustable office swivel chair from the Eames Soft Pad Group — a range designed for management areas and the well-appointed home office. It shares the slim aluminium frame of the Aluminium Chair but adds stitched, padded cushions for a softer, more comfortable seat. The EA 217 has a medium-height backrest; the EA 219 is the higher-backrest model in the same pairing. Few chairs manage to look this considered from every angle — the EA 217 is as much a statement of taste as it is a place to work.

In the early years of production the cushions were filled with down feathers. Vitra later switched to foam for improved longevity and a deeper sink-in feel. The tilt mechanism adjusts to the user’s weight and locks in the forward position; seat height is continuously adjustable via gas spring.

Vitra provides a 30-year guarantee on all Soft Pad Group chairs.