Exceptional French design
Born in 1927, Pierre Paulin studied at the École Camondo in his home city of Paris in France and first entered the design scene in the 1950s. He soon made a name for himself with his iconic, innovative designs, which expressed the spirit of the social changes of the time in a special way.
Paulin's designs from that period are characterised by chairs and armchairs in rounded shapes and bold colours, covered in stretch fabric originally intended for swimwear.
In the 1970s, the then French President Georges Pompidou commissioned him to redesign several rooms in the Élysée Palace and bring modernity into the official residence in his own distinctive way. During the same period, he also played a key role in redesigning the Denon Wing of the Louvre.
Paulin died in June 2009 after a 60-year career in which he became one of the most important designers of the 20th century. His work has been shown in renowned museums and exhibitions around the world. Paulin furniture can be found, for example, in the collections of MoMA in New York in the USA and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in the UK.
Paulin's last works before his death were for the Italian manufacturer Magis, including a reworking of his Elysée shelving system, which until then had only been found in the French presidential palace.
