Eszter Haraszty

Eszter Haraszty first contacted Hans Knoll on the recommendation of her friend and fellow Hungarian, Marcel Breuer. Hans hired her immediately upon seeing her portfolio of prints and textiles. After working under Marianne Strengell for a time, Haraszty was named director of the Knoll textiles department, a title which she held from 1949 to 1955.

Described by designer Lewis Butler as “a brilliant colorist and a rather flamboyant character,” Haraszty assembled a dynamic, inventive group of designers to expand the Knoll textiles program. While she brought several important designs to the collection — including the Knoll Stripe and Fibra, both in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art — Haraszty’s real contribution to Knoll was as a colorist. Responsible for bringing color to the Planning Unit Projects, she became known for her bold and often unprecedented combinations, including pink and orange, which became something of a Knoll signature.