ERWINE & ESTELLE LAVERNE (1909-2003 and 1915-1997, respectively) were the visionary founders of the furniture and textile company, Laverne Originals. Hewing to the idea that “the most important element in rooms are people, not furniture,” the Laverne's released the first of their eponymous “Invisible Group” line of lucite furniture in 1957. The pair, who met as painters at the Art Students League under Hans Hoffman in 1932, distinguished their design practice by incorporating their art background in every step of the process—unusual at a time when most furniture designers started their careers as architects.