Herman Miller's history began in 1905 as the Star Furniture Company, a maker of traditional furniture. In 1923, the company was renamed Herman Miller Furniture Company after D.J. De Pree and his father-in-law, Herman Miller, purchased it. A major shift occurred in 1930 when De Pree hired designer Gilbert Rohde, ushering in an era of modern design that would eventually include collaborations with designers like George Nelson, Charles and Ray Eames, and Isamu Noguchi.