Pierre Paulin

Pierre Paulin 1927 – 2009

Pierre Paulin left his mark on 20th century design with his modern spirit and daring outlook. It symbolizes the pop and sexy atmosphere of the 1970s.

He drew his influences from studying Scandinavian furniture, the work of the Eames couple, traditional Japan, tents from the Arab world and even Viking houses embedded in the ground.

The furniture he created is characterized by real simplicity, comfort and crazy elegance. The result is sensual pieces with supple, rounded shapes, as if sculpted from the material.

The Thonet house published its first furniture, then the Dutch publisher Artifort where it finalized its research around a new stretch jersey cover process which molded to the shape of the furniture. No more need for nails to fix the textile, the seat must “put on” a new skin. The washable and interchangeable covers will take advantage of the Pop art period to be adorned with a thousand colors.

His iconic seats molded in jersey were a great success: Mushroom armchairs (1963), Ruban (1966), Tongue Chair (1967), Amphis sofa (1969) at the Élysée, most of which are exhibited at the MoMa in New York as well as 'at the Center Pompidou.

For thirty years, Pierre Paulin received orders from the Élysée: for the official apartment (George Pompidou) and for the President's office (François Mitterrand). Unique furniture created under the aegis of Mobilier national within the research and creation workshop (ARC).

This jack-of-all-trades artist, who intended to become a sculptor before a hand injury, will have invested in broad creative fields: from handcrafted furniture, to total design, including interior design (including Airbus planes). He did not forget industrial design and worked as artistic director for Calor - Tefal from 1984 to 1990, where even the smallest household accessory was sublimated.

“I am at the service of the public, I have never done anything to shock. I like things well done and I have to like them.”

Celebrated in France around the 2000s, he was more applauded during his lifetime by his American and Scandinavian peers from the 1960s.