The Rise and Fall of Design Within Reach

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Photograph by Jonny Valiant

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OUT OF FASHION: "It throws people off," says ousted CEO Ray Brunner of his white-stocking style. So did his controversial reign. Then-CEO Brunner said that DWR Kitchen was ahead of plan. That "plan" must have been extraordinarily conservative. Only one person purchased a DWR kitchen in 2009. | Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride

Retailer Design Within Reach helped create a new appreciation for the modernist aesthetic. With design more mainstream than ever, why is...