Modernica's new Prince Charles chair

Modernica and artist Peter Shire collaborated to produce a new take on mainstream mid-century design. The Prince Charles Chair ($359-$469) is a special edition chair named for Charles Eames which debuted at Modernica's L.A. showroom this month, I had to see it with my own eyes, so I stopped by while I was in town. Chair-nuts and design enthusiasts will no doubt recognize that The Price Charles "fuses" (I'm using that word loosely) two recognizable styles. To put it plainly, it's an Eames shell chair with Queen Anne-like legs. Artist Peter Shire is responsible for reinventing the design icon, saying “I like to make fun of all the things I’ve had to pay homage to all my life…usually it’s the stuff that insults me but in this case it’s something I’ve grown up with and love.” Shire and Modernica realize the Prince Charles Chair will create a dialogue and likely controversy among designers and purists. What do you think, love it or hate it?

The Prince Charles isn't the only classic Eames design that Shire's gotten a hold of. Shire also altered a set of Eames dining chairs from his parent's house by adding legs, arms, and sculptural elements. It's not hard to see that Shire was part of the Memphis Collective in the early 1980s.