Herd of Eames Elephants Raises Money for Teddy’s Wish

It is a special occasion when design icons are used for a noble cause. This year, the charity Teddy’s Wish is back for round two, headed up once again by Deborah Spencer, the director of London Design Festival ’s Designjunction . The chosen inspiration is the endearing Charles and Ray Eames Elephant, donated by Vitra. Originally designed of bent plywood in 1945, the toy as it was originally conceived never went into production due to its high overhead. A polypropylene version, using similar methods as the Eames Molded Plastic seating, has earned a loyal following. Twenty-one designers have set about customizing the little animal, including Hall of Famers Neri & Hu and Swedish firm Claesson Koivisto Rune.

Last year, Spencer’s sister and brother-in-law tragically lost their child to sudden infant death syndrome. To combat the rare medical disorder, they asked designers to participate in the first edition of “A Child’s Dream,” an auction of custom design pieces. Names such as Tom Dixon and Faye Toogood donated original interpretations of Kenneth Grange’s Anglepoise task lamp or Ercol’s chair by Lucian Ercolani. Their efforts raised $15,600.

Bids this year start at approximately $450—here’s hoping for continued success! The items will be on view and accepting bids at Designjunction through October 4.