Furniture is not just functional, it lives in the spaces where we live, work, and play, shaping how we move, feel, and connect. It’s sensory, symbolic and emotional, deeply woven into the fabric of everyday life. A chair can hold decades of memories, stories of connection, and layers of cultural meaning.

The pieces that transcend trends and become design icons share an enduring appeal. They blend form and function with cultural relevance and craftsmanship to create a legacy that stands the test of time.

Few names embody this idea more fully than Charles and Ray Eames. From the iconic Lounge Chair to their pioneering moulded plywood experiments, their work represents far more than furniture. It stands as a touchstone of modern culture and enduring proof that when function, craft, and human-centred thinking converge, the result resonates across generations.

In conversation with Eames Demetrios, grandson of Charles and Ray and Director of the Eames Office, and Chairman of the Charles and Ray Eames Foundation, we examined what gives design lasting power. Is it form, function, cultural relevance, material innovation, or the stories that surround it?

Drawing on the enduring legacy of the Eameses and highlighting contemporary works poised to become tomorrow’s classics, Defining the Icon considered how great design shapes the way we live and work and what it means for future generations to carry that legacy forward.