Ernest Race was a British designer and manufacturer renowned for his modern furniture of the 1940s and 1950s. After studying interior design at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London, he began his career at the lighting manufacturer Troughton & Young. In 1945, he founded Race Furniture, where he innovated with materials like aluminum and laminated wood. His most iconic post-war creations include the BA3 and Antelope chairs, which won both the gold and silver medals at the 1955 Milan Triennale, a first for British furniture design.
Race’s designs are characterized by their lightness, playful and curved forms, and innovative use of new materials and technologies.Influenced by the post-war material shortages, his work led to creative and functional solutions that defined his era.
Today, Ernest Race’s works are part of the permanent collections of the V&A Museum in London and the MoMA in New York, highlighting their significance in the history of modern design.