Girard Color Wheel Braniff Ottoman

Footrest, coffee table, extra seat, or conversation starter—Alexander Girard’s ottoman is as versatile as it is charming, bringing a playful pop of color to any setting. This piece is part of a beautiful and flexible set of furnishings that began its life not in the home or office, but in the airport: In 1965, Girard took on a top-to-bottom rebranding of Braniff International Airways, including several furnishings for their lounges and waiting areas. Available upholstered in four different color wheel combinations of wool-blend Hallingdal fabric. The five sleek, polished aluminum legs have nonadjustable nylon glides. Herman Miller®, a manufacturer in MoMA’s collection, first produced this ottoman in 1967 as part of the Girard Group. Made in the USA.

A native New Yorker raised in Florence, Alexander Girard was trained as an architect but best known for exuberant, folk art-inspired textile designs. When he joined Herman Miller’s textile division in the early 1950s, he brought an explosion of color and pattern to the drab modernist palette. “People got fainting fits if they saw bright, pure color,” he quipped at the time. His work with Herman Miller continued for two decades and included enlivening the Action Office system with a bright series of fabrics. His work for Braniff International Airways in the mid 1960s was a comprehensive corporate rebranding through modern design: He created over 17,000 different items for the company, from logos to lounge chairs. Several examples of his fabric designs are included in MoMA’s collection.