Graphic Design School Blog

Its no secret that designers are often at their desks morning to night… and then some.
If you are studying design and have started to notice that your lower back is giving you aches and pains, chances are it’s not your age… It’s your chair! Read on for a (sort of) review of the best that replica has to offer…

Author: The Graphic Design School

4 of The Graphic Design School employees spent one and half months in 4 different replica Eames chairs. At a fraction of the cost of the real deal. How do they really compare?

How Do Replica Designer Chairs Stack Up? A Review…Of Sorts!

Warning! We say the words ‘buttocks’ and ‘bum’, far more times than necessary or politeness warrants throughout this article.

When your career is up and running, a Herman Miller or Eames chair may make you feel like you’ve “made it”. Until that day, we have reviewed the next best thing, and judged with our backs, buttocks and good old fashioned economic sense, whether the replica may just suffice.

The Contenders

Firstly we have to admit that all styles of chairs performed far beyond our expectations. They arrived in boxes and were assembled easily with three parts only to each chair. All chairs are without a doubt the best looking chairs that we have ever had through the office, despite that fact that a few of us own some pretty pricey chairs.
The chrome finishings are of high quality and the mechanisms: rolling base, height and tilt adjustments smooth and deign of chairs at three times their price. The leather of good quality, and the look well worthy of Eames… Naturally! The armrests are very comfortable, and fit nicely under a standard size office desk.
To see the specifics, height, price etc of each the chairs, be sure to follow the links below to suppliers found nearest to you.

And The Winner is…

The Soft Pad Management Chair

This chair was voted unanimously the most comfortable chair of the four, and one may argue, the most comfortable chair in the office (competing with a few chairs priced at least 3 times it’s price). As with all of the chairs, the swivel action is smooth and the recline easy and comfortable. We know for a fact that a few of our visiting graphic designer friends and colleagues went out to order these for their own studios, after falling inlove with it’s look and feel. Yes, the feel… Never has a buttocks loved anything more (not since the invention of 4 ply anyway). The padding is fit for a king and the back support just right. We highly recommend this chair to anyone who values their back as well as the look of their studio, a real winner for it’s price.

Second Place

The Management Chair

Honestly, not really a close second, as the winner really blows this chair out of the water for all day comfort. As with all of the chairs the mechanism is smooth and easy to operate. Probably the best looking chair of the four. As it’s name suggests the Management chair, would be very well suited to an extra chair for the occasional visitor, or for a board room. Only slightly cheaper in price than the first, the difference makes the first an even more worthwhile investment.

Third Place… A Tie

The Mesh Chairs

We tried both the high and low back Mesh chair. A great looking chair with the same smooth system as the others. We couldn’t really give an honest review of the difference between the high and low back, as the both suited even our tallest employee at 6ft3. The high back, however does offer you a little more support if you are illustrating or using a tablet, and like to chill back and recline. The mesh chairs were the least comfortable for the buttocks of the 3 styles, the nylon fiber being harder than one would imagine, as we did not test the chairs for much more than one month, its hard to say whether the mesh would soften a little over time. We suggest if you need to opt for the cheapest of the chairs that the mesh back is still a great buy. It could perhaps benefit from the addition of a soft cushion, for your buttocks sake, with that inclusion we think it could really pass for a good all day chair. All question of buttocks aside, the mesh chairs offers fantastic back support.

The Conclusion

No longer will we waste money on the ‘real deal’. We have unanimously decided at The Graphic Design School, that we would much rather save money with a replica chair and have a big night out on the town, (or a new mac) than investing thousands in a designer chair. Next chair update we are heading straight to Milan Direct. Exciting news! Milan Direct are opening up in the UK before xmas.

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Check out your local suppliers.

In Australia

Milan Direct

In the UK

Milan Direct

In the USA

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