Her extended collaboration with Le Corbusier made the sleek, chrome-finished future a reality, but her continued evolution and experimentation with different forms and materials made her a true icon.

Perriand’s relationship with Corbu had a bit of a rocky start: Le Corbusier’s studio initially rejected the aspiring designer, infamously saying, “We don’t embroider cushions here,” before her apartment layout at the Salon d’Automne in 1927, including an aluminum-and-chrome bar, impressed the iconoclast so much he hired her on the spot. In a career filled with impressive collaborations and an extended and influential stay in Japan during WWII, Perriand went on to create a wealth of influential furniture pieces—including chaise lounges, armchairs, and tubular “equipment for living”—as well as scores of influential interiors, including a conference room for the United Nations in Geneva, the Unite d’Habitation housing project in Marseilles, and the Méribel ski resort.

“I’m for teamwork. I’m very interested in the life of houses. Everything is created from within, if you will—needs, gestures, a harmony, a euphoric arrangement, if possible, in relation to an environment.”
—Charlotte Perriand

Swivel Chair (1928)

Chaise Lounge (1928)

Perriand’s first landmark collaboration with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, this triptych of chromium-plated steel chairs, presented a modernist view of living. Each was crafted with a specific function. The B301 sling back chair was for conversation, the LC2 Grand Confort was for relaxation, and the B306 chaise lounge was meant for sleeping. Above, Perriand, sporting a Josephine Baker hairstyle, poses with the lounge. She’d later reinterpret this signature work with bamboo." layout="" credit="Courtesy of Design Museum" photoUserId=""/>

Grand Confort Armchair (1928)

Meribel Ski Resort (1950)

Ombre Chair (1954)

Nuage Shelving (1955)

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The Woman Behind Le Corbusier’s Iconic Chaise Almost Didn't Get the Job

Eye on Design: Charlotte Perriand