Charlotte Perriand – Pioneer in French modernism

Charlotte Perriand 1903 - 1999

Charlotte Perriand was born in Paris in 1903 and was a renowned French architect and designer. She was educated at the Ecole de L'Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs. When Charlotte was 24, she designed the Bar Under the Roof installation, a built-in curved bar with accompanying chairs for the Salon d'Automne.

The installation was a sensation and led to her being accepted by Le Corbusier. Together they began a collaboration with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret that would last for over a decade. The three worked together in a large design studio at 35, Rue de Sèvres in Paris. The design trio created the classics LC1, LC2 and LC7, among others. Perriand also created masterpieces of her own, such as the Tokyo Outdoor lounger and the 520 Accordo coffee table.

Today, Charlotte Perriand is recognised as one of the most influential modernist designers in the world and Italian Cassina has exclusive rights to produce her work. These include the Tabouret Méribel stools, the Nuage shelf and the 527 Mexique table. In the post-war period, Perriand turned her attention to architecture, but her furniture design is considered as relevant today as it was 80 years ago. She was a self-assured person who paved the way for women in male-dominated industries such as design, interior design and architecture.