Design Icon: Charlotte Perriand
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)
Perriand’s spin on an office chair demonstrated her ability to integrate stark elements (the metal frame) while respecting the chair’s owner (cushions resting on coil springs). A wooden prototype Perriand developed while in what was then called Indochina in 1943 was recently reissued by Cassina.
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.
Grand Confort Armchair (1928)
Inspired by a Maples club chair that caught Le Corbusier’s eye, this cubical creation is one of Perriand’s most famous designs. Decades later, it’s still iconic, as anyone who’s seen Maxell’s famous ads from the ’80s can attest.
Meribel Ski Resort (1950)
Perriand’s time in Japan during WWII—she was brought in to advise on industrial art production and spent considerable time with designer Sori Yanagi—had a lasting impact on her work, leading the doyenne of modernism to focus more on wooden furniture and sliding screens to divide space. This larch daybed is a prime example.
Ombre Chair (1954)
Another Japanese-inspired piece, this stackable chair is formed from a single bent piece of plywood. Introduced during a return visit to Japan, the graceful folds of this piece are said to be inspired in part by bunraku (puppet theater).
Nuage Shelving (1955)
Perriand’s stay in Japan also inspired this modular shelving system, built with sliding doors in an array of colors. Easily assembled to fit any space, these pieces could become freestanding furniture or, in the case of this image from the Air France library, become the focus of an entire room or wall.
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