Disclosure: Sohnne sent Irreverent Gent a chair for editorial consideration in exchange for an honest, unfiltered review. All opinions, value judgments, annoying asides and bad jokes included here are those of the author.
You can learn more about our editorial review policy here.
When it comes to mid-century modern furniture, few pieces are as classic, iconic – and let’s just be honest – expensive as the original Eames lounge chair.
Designed for the Herman Miller furniture company in 1956 by the famed husband-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, the original Eames lounger is a work of art that’s stood the test of time.
[photo: moma.org]
It was once displayed in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and continues to captivate millennial men to this day, most of whom were only introduced to mid-century modern design after Mad Men debuted in 2007. (Cough, guilty, cough cough.)
And while the Herman Miller company still sells that original chair, at more than $6,000, the price tag is almost absurdly astronomical.
For design enthusiasts on a more modest budget – which is to say, pretty much all of us – Sohnne offers an Eames lounger and ottoman replica that mimics the original design of the classic lounge chair, but comes in a much lower price range.
Which brings up an imporant question…
Is it Legit, or Full of Sh*t?
[photo: Sohnne.com]
Sohnne’s Eames replica chair certainly looks good online, but when we’re talking about a replica whose price point is less than a fifth of the original, you have to wonder:
Is it really possible to make a good Eames chair replica that costs just a fraction of the authentic chair, or are there flaws and quality issues that can’t be seen online?
To answer that question for myself, I recently assembled, tried and assessed the Premier Tall version of Sohnne’s Eames replica.
Read on to find the full results of my Sohnne furniture review, and find out if their Eames replica is worth shelling out for.
In a Hurry? Here’s the Gist ↓
Overall I was pretty happy with Sohnne’s Eames dupe, but no piece of replica furniture is perfect. You can read my full thoughts below, but here’s a quick summary of what I liked and disliked about their chair and ottoman combo:
✅ What I Liked About Sohnne’s Eames Replica:
- It doesn’t cost six grand, like an authentic Herman Miller model (duh)
- Its style and aesthetic closely mimic the original
- Its materials are higher quality than most other replicas
- While the quality is pretty high, the price is middle-of-the-road for a good Eames dupe, giving it a better price-to-quality ratio than pretty much any other replica on the market
❌ Reasons Why You Might Not Like It:
- It doesn’t come in a wide range of color options—only black or white leather
- Even the “Premier Tall” version of the chair is inherently low, so if you’re taller than 6’1″ it probably won’t be that comfortable
- Some users report long international shipping times, so it won’t arrive tomorrow
An In-Depth Review of Sohnne’s Eames Lounge Chair Replica
Is this dupe worth your dollars? Let’s take a look…
First Impressions
Unboxing and Initial Thoughts
The pieces for Sohnne’s replica came in two separate boxes, each of which was light enough that I could carry it into my living room on my own.
At first I was a little worried about the fact that each of the boxes was lightweight, but my fears were assuaged as I opened them up and started taking out the pieces.
The three main pieces of the chair – the seat, the backrest and the headrest – all felt quite substantial, as did the ottoman foot rest, which was probably the single largest piece.
Once I had all of the pieces out of the box, one of the first things I noticed was how good they looked, even unassembled.
The black leather was supple and eye-catching, and provided a nice contrast against the deep browns of the walnut wood color.
I didn’t really know what to expect from the molded plywood frame, but it felt fairly sturdy right out of the box, and looked exactly like the picture on the website.
Assembly took a little longer than I expected, mostly because I’m a city-dwelling style blogger with basically zero practical skills, so furniture assembly and other basic handyman tasks tend to take me forever.
It took me about two hours working on it solo, but someone who’s handier than me (i.e. a six-year-old with a basic level of hand-eye coordination) or working with a partner could probably do it in about half that time.
Aesthetics and Comparison to the Original
Once the chair was done and assembled, my first thought was:
Yep—this thing definitely looks like the real thing.
It has all the classic design hallmarks that make the original such an iconic piece of furniture, including a base that’s tilted by 15 degrees (giving it that permanently laid back look), all the way down to the rubber shock mounts under the armrests.
I’m sure there are some interior designers and architects who are obsessed with mid-century modern design, and can spot a knockoff from a mile away.
But I suspect that very few laymen –myself very much included – would be able to tell that this isn’t an authentic Eames lounge chair.
Of course, when assessing high-quality replicas, aesthetics are just one piece of the puzzle.
While I was happy to find that Sohnne’s version had the look of the original Herman Miller chair, I knew the real test would come when I finally had a chance to sit in the damn thing, and find out where it lands on the low to high quality spectrum.
Total Score on First Impressions: 4.5/5
Materials and Craftsmanship
Materials
Unfortunately I’ve never had the chance to sit in a real Eames chair, which I assume is made from the absolute highest quality materials. (I mean, for six grand it had damn well better be.)
So in assessing my new Eames chair replica, the main question I focused on was this:
Do the materials, craftsmanship and overall construction deliver good value for the price point?
I tried the Tall Premium version of Sohnne’s replica, which retails for $1,549 (at least at the time of this writing—inflation is crazy right now), so that was my reference point.
As mentioned above, Sohnne’s materials made a strong first impression visually.
The outer veneer has a sleek walnut finish that matches what they show on their website and closely mimics the deep, rich tones found in the original.
I was more nervous about the leather quality.
Sohnne’s website says they use genuine leather upholstery, but it’s so easy for brands to use low-quality leather that shows well in pictures, but then looks shiny and cheap when you see it in person.
Years ago I had a Florence Knoll sofa replica that used “leather match” (aka faux leather) instead of the real deal, and it had a plastic-like sheen to it that made the whole thing look kind of cheap.
Fortunately, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the quality of Sohnne’s leather so far.
It’s soft to touch, with a subtle grain texture, which indicates that it really is genuine leather, rather than synthetic alternatives.
Another important point is that it’s proven remarkably resilient. I have a two year old who’s just barely able to climb up onto the chair, but not without planting his face firmly into the seat cushion and slobbering all over it on the way up.
Fortunately, the leather’s been quite easy to clean so far, even when it’s taken me a few hours to notice the drool and wipe it up.
Craftsmanship
When it comes to craftsmanship, the devil’s in the details, and the Sohnne replica does a pretty impressive job of getting them right.
The stitching on the removable cushions is consistent and shows no signs of the irregularities that can often pop up when something is cheap and/or hastily made, so it’s clear that Sohnne has really tried to maintain a standard that closely mimics the original.
The overall structure is also quite solid and the chair doesn’t wobble or creak at all under my weight, despite my (many) shortcomings as a furniture assembler.
But a closer inspection does reveal some details that I suspect are different on the O.G. chair.
For instance, while the veneer here is aesthetically pleasing, it likely doesn’t quite match the depth and layering found in the original.
And while the leather does seem to be genuine, it doesn’t have that aged, buttery feel that aficionados of an original mid-century lounge chair might yearn for.
But all in all, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Sohnne’s replica is solidly constructed and uses fairly high-quality materials, both of which go a long way to making the chair feel like a good value for the price.
Total Score on Materials & Construction: 4.2/5
Comfort and Ergonomics
Sitting Experience
In addition to their aesthetically unique design that looks as good today as it did 50 years ago, comfort is the other big reason why authentic Eames chairs and ottoman sets are still so popular.
So I was curious to find out how Sohnne’s Eames-inspired chair would hold up.
On their website they say their seat conditions contain ultra-plush padding that provides “unbeatable comfortability.”
In addition to being grammatically ridiculous, I would say that’s a bit overwrought.
I mean, it’s obviously not a La-Z-Boy, and any chair this sleak is inherently going to provide less cushioning than a big bulky recliner.
But with that said, the chair’s cushioning is pretty generous given how streamlined it is, and provides a firm yet comfortable sitting experience.
The foam used in the cushions strikes a good balance — it’s not too soft, which would compromise support, nor too firm, which would diminish the, ahem, “comfortability.”
The leather upholstery feels pleasant against the skin and doesn’t cause discomfort even after prolonged sitting.
The backrest and seat are angled in a way that encourages a relaxed posture without slouching, true to the ergonomic intent of the original design.
Comparison to the comfort level of the original, if possible.
Ergonomic Design
Matching the same aesthetics as the original iconic chair means retaining its unique ergonomic design.
Sohnne’s replica supports the natural curve of the spine, much like the original chair that’s still available on the Herman Miller website.
And the ottoman provides a comfortable rest for the feet that aligns the legs at an ergonomically sound level, which also mimics the original quite closely.
The position is easy to settle into perfect for reading a book, but there’s one thing that even ingenious and famous artists like the Eameses couldn’t have anticipated:
This chair clearly wasn’t designed for watching a TV mounted high on the wall.
Like many people, my flat screen is mounted on my fireplace, which I know is too high to be ergonomically sound, but was really the only good option for my living room.
As a result, I have to look up a bit when I’m watching it from the Eames chair, as I do from my couch.
Again, this is partly my own fault since I knew the TV was technically too high when I put it there, but I wanted to flag it because I think a lot of people find themselves in a similar boat.
Total Score on Comfort & Ergonomics: 4.3/5
Value for Money
Replicas come at much lower prices than the iconic designs they’re meant to imitate, but the obvious trade off is that they’re almost never going to have the same level of craftsmanship or quality.
So when it comes to assessing the overall value of replicas, there are really only two main questions to consider:
First, how much do they resemble the original iconic pieces? And second, as alluded to above, how do their materials, construction and quality stack up in relation to their price tag, and the price of other comparable replicas.
Fidelity to Original Design
I already answered the first question above:
Sohnne’s chair does an excellent job of capturing the iconic modern design of the original, and in purely aesthetic terms, it might be the best Eames chair replica on the market.
Price-to-Quality Ratio
The price-to-quality ratio is admittedly a little more subjective and tougher to figure out, but I have a bit of a leg up because I did a ton of research on the competition when I put together my Best Eames Lounge Chair Replica post.
When it comes to price, Sohnne’s $1,549 price tag puts it in the middle of the pack when compared to other Eames replicas (at least the handful of other ones that are actually worth considering):
- The Iconic Chair’s version sells for about $,1800
- Bed, Bath & Beyond sells one for about $1,400
- And Latitude Run has one on Wayfair for just over $1,000.
But in terms of quality of materials, the only one that really comes close to Sohnne is The Iconic Chair, which costs $250 more.
Sohnne uses 100% top-grain genuine leather, 8-layer plywood for the frame, stainless steel for the base and polyurethane-injected foam for the inside of the cushions.
By contrast, most comparably priced replicas refuse to say what percentage of their leather is genuine, use lighter-weight aluminum for the base, include sponge for the cushions in place of polyurethane-injected foam, and have a lower number of plies for their plywood, which results in a lighter and lower quality wood.
Some use 7-layer plywood, but most don’t even reveal how thick their wood is, or what they use for the cushions, which says a lot in and of itself.
And again, The Iconic Chair is really the only exception to all of the above; it has comparable quality to Sohnne, but costs a little more.
All told, Sohnne has a middle-of-the-pack price tag but comes with higher-quality material than almost any other replica, resulting in one of the best value-to-money propositions on the market.
Total Score on Value-for-Money: 4.7/5
Other Sohnne Reviews
What do other people say about Sohnne?
My experience with Sohnne’s Eames replica has been positive, but I’m a blogger who received the chair for free, so I completely understand why you might want a second (or third, or fourth) opinion before dropping more than a thousand bucks on a chair.
In terms of the company itself, Sohnne has pretty good scores on the two most reputable (i.e. least fake-able) business review sites.
The Better Business Bureau is more or less the gold standard for assessing a business’s quality, and Sohnne scores 4.4 stars out of 5 after 20 customer reviews, which is good for an A+ ranking.
They’re in similar territory on Trustpilot, where they have a 3.9 out of 5 score after 38 reviews:
In terms of their Eames chair specifically, there’s a Reddit thread where someone asked for honest feedback about Sohnne’s version, and a number of users have replied.
Overall the tenor of replies there have been pretty positive, which is especially noteworthy because Reddit’s not exactly a place where people are known for its optimism.
Some people complained about long shipping times from China, so that’s definitely something to keep in mind. (Although it’s also worth pointing out that those complaints were from a year ago, when both international shipping and Sohnne’s specific stock were obviously very different.)
To be a little more specific, here’s what Reddit user north212jane had to say:
I just got mine delivered yesterday, just to share some thought/facts:
Shipping took a little more than a week, in total about 15 days from order to deliver. I live in US.
Product is made in China. I know many factories in China make such replica with very low price. I think this company Sonnah just handles logistics
Leather is real and well made from what I can tell, wood part seems to be multilayer solid wood, not best quality but definitely above average
Installation is a bit tricky, tools/materials sometime does not match with instruction, took me a while to get it sorted out, and I almost damaged a wood part
Sits very comfortable, I’m 5’11” and the tall version is just about right, if someone taller than 6 may feel lack of head support
Overall no regrets for the purchase so far
And here’s a truncated version from user NEZguy (his review is kind of long, but you can read the full version here):
Chair is very comfortable. I ordered the tall version because I am 6’4. In my opinion, this chair is built for someone that is 6’1 max. When I slouch a bit in the chair, then I have the perfect viewing position. So, I am going to buy a round leather pillow to match the chair that will give some extra back support when I am in that position. Not ideal, but I am going to make it work. I love the style and this will be a great chair for watching movies in my office… Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this chair for anyone under 6’1 in height.
Personally I’m not nearly as tall as this guy, but I echo is opinion on the height.
Conclusion
Overall, Sohnne’s Eames lounge chair dupe presents a pretty compelling blend of style, comfort, and value.
While it may not fully capture the exquisite craftsmanship or luxurious materials of the (again, almost obscenely priced) original, it’s a pretty damn good homage—especially given the price point.
The chair’s aesthetics are spot on, while its use of 100% top-grain leather, solid wood veneer, and sturdy build all give it a level of quality that surpasses most other replicas in the same price range.
Similarly, its comfort and ergonomics are not quite on par with the original, but easily meet the needs of those looking for a stylish-yet-functional lounge chair.
Sohnne’s managed to strike a delicate balance between affordability and quality here, and their customer service and strong online reputation helps further cement them as one of the best places to buy an Eames replica.
Ultimately, if you’re under 6’1″, value the iconic Eames design, and want a mix of style, comfort, and affordability, Sohnne’s Eames chair replica is probably the right choice.
But for taller people and/or purists who only want the unparalleled feel and detail of the original, this replica, like most, may fall short of expectations.
The Recap ↓
Summary
Overall, Sohnne’s Eames lounge chair dupe presents a pretty compelling blend of style, comfort, and value. While it may not fully capture the exquisite craftsmanship or luxurious materials of the (again, almost obscenely priced) original, it’s a pretty damn good
homage—especially given the price point.
FAQ
Is Sohnne an American company?
As far as I can tell, Sohnne is an American company. Sohnne’s website says they were founded in 2012 in San Francisco. But what it doesn’t mention is that the Sohnne brand is owned by a parent company called Equinox Technology LLC, which appears to be based in Indonesia.
Equinox ownes a few other brands/websites, including Enigwatch (which makes a pretty cool watch winder), Artdigest, which offers home decor and wall panels, and Koizuma, an at-home laser hair removal product.
The LinkedIn and Crunchbase profiles for Equinox both mention San Francisco, which I think is their home base. But Equinox also has a profile on TechinAsia.com, which says they’re based in Indonesia.
So… I think they’re an American company with an arm in Asia (which makes sense when you read the question below), but I can’t say for sure.
Where is Sohnne’s Eames chair replica made?
Not surprisingly given the price, Sohnne makes their Eames chair replicas in China. But they likely hold a lot of stock stateside, because they offer two to five day shipping within the U.S.
Are there shipping fees on top of the base price?
Fortunately no, there are no extra shipping fees. Sohnne offers free shipping on their Eames replicas, which helps keep your final price down and add to the overall value.
What’s the difference between the standard and tall models?
Honestly? Not much. The tall version is only a few inches taller than the standard/regular size chair.
I’m only 5’9″ and the tall one fits me perfectly, so I really wouldn’t recommend the standard version unless you’re quite short, and don’t expect anyone else to use the chair.
More Resources ↓
More Stylish & Affordable Replica Furniture:
- The Best Eero Saarinen Tulip Table Replicas
- The (Absolute) Best Eames Lounge Chair Replicas
- The 5 Best Womb Chair Replicas
- The 5 Best Wassily Chair Replicas
- The 11 Best Barcelona Chair Replicas
- The Best Noguchi Coffe Table Replicas
- The (Absolute) Best Wishbone Side Chair Replicas
- The 9 Best Marcel Breuer Cesca Chair Replicas
- The Best Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair Replicas on the Market
- The Best Arne Jacobsen Swan Chair Replicas
- The 3 Best Gubi Pacha Lounge Chair Replicas
- The Best Tulip Chair Replicas
- The Best Hans J Wegner Shell Replicas
- The Absolute Best Florence Knoll Replica Sofas
- The Best Mario Bellini Camaleonda Sofa Dupes
- The Best Replica Arco Lamps
