ARAM - Key Persons
Marcel Breuer (1902-1981), born in Hungary and trained at the Bauhaus by Walter Gropius from 1920-24, is heralded as having produced the first tubular steel armchair, his pieces pioneering the demand for tubular steel furniture throughout the 1920s and 1930s. When the Bauhaus moved to Dessau in 1925, Breuer designed furniture for the new campus and became head of the furniture workshop, a position that he held until 1928. Also in 1925, Breuer created the famous tubular steel Wassily chair, purportedly inspired both by constructivist aesthetics and by the handlebars of his new bike.
In 1928 he started a private practice in Berlin and came out with his Cesca cantilever chair and Cesca stool, named after his daughter and probably inspired by Mies Van der Rohe.
Aram was launched in 1964 by designer Zeev Aram, with the aim to bring the best of modern design to the UK. Zeev achieved his goal and is now known for having introduced and promoted, both within the UK and internationally, the likes of Marcel Breuer, Achille Castiglioni, Shiro Kuramata and Eileen Gray, amongst many others. Now, sixty years on, Aram continues to be family-run and resolute in our goal of being an incredible resource for 20th century and contemporary design through our store, trade department and gallery.
The showroom now occupies two Victorian buildings at 110 Drury Lane. Spread over four floors you can discover furniture, lighting and accessories from Modernists, Italian post-war masters, Scandinavian craftsmen and women, and the leading designers of today. The light-filled warehouse, with its double height ceilings and raw industrial features, allows us to show the widest selection of furniture designs of any store in London, and affords our customers the luxury of space in which to make private, unhurried decisions.
The team - many of whom have been with the company for over a decade - regularly visit the showrooms and manufacturing facilities of the brands sold here to learn about the materiality, construction and capabilities of their designs - for example: USM Modular Furniture, Vitra, Carl Hansen & Son, Cassina, Knoll International, and Montana Furniture. This helps to ensure that products are vetted for quality and functionality, in addition to aesthetics and heritage. As such, the whole company truly understands the pieces, and the consultants - across both the store and trade teams - can provide highly knowledgeable advice. Just as in 1964, we remain committed to bringing the best in modern design to your home.
Zeev Aram reflects on his design philosophy with Tom Jenkins of Crane TV, a contemporary-culture video magazine focusing on arts, design, style, food and travel, around the world