These Pendleton blankets reference the brilliant textiles of Alexander Girard

FastCompany: In the mid-1960s, Alexander Girard helped bring his vivid patterns to more people through the creation of the Girard throw blanket. Now, more than 60 years later, the furniture brand Herman Miller is releasing three new patterns of blanket: a multicolor stripe, a brown-and-yellow checkerboard, and a pink-and-green checkerboard. The motifs, designed by Girard himself, were found in the archives. [Photo: Herman Miller] Girard created his throw blankets in 1965 as part of an extensive brand identity system for Braniff International Airlines.

The visual language consisted of vibrant colors and graphic shapes applied across aircraft, ticketing counters, and small objects customers received, like in-flight dinnerware, matchbooks, and blankets. Braniff called the brand campaign “The End of the Plain Plane.” Produced in a multicolor checker pattern, the wool and cotton blankets became a signature of Girard’s joyful sensibility. [Photo: Herman Miller] Girard Studio , a family-run entity that preserves and promotes the work of Girard, who passed away in 1993, developed the new patterns with Herman Miller.

Two of Girard’s grandchildren, Aleishall Girard Maxon and Kori Girard, codirect the studio and work to ensure his legacy is “accurately and thoughtfully represented.” Girard was the founding director of the Herman Miller textile division and worked at the company from the 1950s to the 1970s. Together Girard and Herman Miller reimagined modern contract textiles to be bright, colorful, humorous, and sometimes whimsical—a legacy that shapes design today.

[Photo: Herman Miller] “For our grandfather, color was more instinctual than academic; he was interested in creating environments and products that evoked deep feelings from their inhabitants,” Aleishall and Kori told Fast Company in an email. “He could be shrewdly subtle with a multitude of neutrals, adding saturated pops of color sparingly or he could create a riot of hues that were at once bold and yet cohesive.” [Photo: Herman Miller] It’s a perspective that still feels fresh.

“Girard’s work was, and continues to be, completely intertwined with so many of the products we produce at Herman Miller,” said Noah Schwarz, vice president of product design at the company. “Whether applied to a textile, ottoman, or throw, Girard’s designs help bring the joy and humanity which has made Herman Miller so unique and enduring.” [Photo: Herman Miller] When deciding to revive this product, Girard Studio also moved to collaborate with Pendleton , the textile manufacturer. Together, the three parties worked to expand the existing collection, pulling pieces from the Girard textile archive for the design.

The redesigned blankets will feature Pendleton’s wrinkle-resistant virgin wool and breathable cotton, similar to the original. They’re available from Herman Miller’s store for $325.

The article discusses a notable collaboration that underscores heritage in design, which is significant for brand strategy, but the concept of reviving classic designs is not entirely new.