Eileen Gray daybeds

Eileen Gray was born in 1878 in Enniscorthy, Ireland, but grew up in London where she developed an interest in painting as a young woman. In the early 1900s, she moved to Paris to develop her interest and began making shoes that quickly became popular and highly regarded by Art Deco fans.

In the 1920s, Gray opened her own gallery and blazed a trail to become one of the earliest names in modern design. She worked alongside several major figures in modern design, including Le Corbusier and J.J.P. Oud. Gray also had a number of architectural jobs, being encouraged by Le Corbusier to design houses. From the late 1920s to the early 1930s, Gray designed and constructed a house in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France and one in Castellar de la Frontera, Spain. These houses epitomise the domestic architecture and interior design of the time.

Eileen Gray's earliest works include the Bibendum and Bonaparte chairs, the Roquebrune chair, and the E1027 Adjustable Table, which is in MoMA's permanent collection. The Royal Society of Arts appointed Eileen Gray as Royal Designer for Industry in 1972. Throughout her lifetime, she worked on both major projects and smaller-scale furniture design. One of her last projects was with Zeev Aaram, who introduced her designs to the world market. Aaram Designs still holds the global licence for Eileen Gray's designs.

Gray died in 1976 in Paris and is still widely acclaimed and appreciated today as an accomplished and groundbreaking designer. In 2013, Gray's life's work was honoured at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and a new light was shone on Gray's career. Eileen Gray is among the leading women considered the most influential designers of the 20th century.