Design Icon: Charlotte Perriand
Many innovators helped usher in the modernist movement, but French architect, furniture maker, and interior designer Charlotte Perriand turned lofty ideals into revolutionary living spaces.
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.
Courtesy of 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.
Courtesy of Design Museum
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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.
Courtesy of Cassina
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.
Courtesy of 1stDibs
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).
Courtesy of Cassina
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.
Courtesy of Cassina
Shop Charlotte Perriand’s Designs
Cassina LC2 Petit Modele Armchair
The LC2 Collection (1928) reverses the standard structure of sofas and chairs. External steel frames cradle thick, resilient cushions, integrating padded comfort with International Style functionality. The simple tubular structure is remarkably relevant to how we live today, over 90 years later. Each piece is signed, numbered, and as a product of Cassina's Masters Collection manufactured by Cassina under exclusive worldwide license from the Le Corbusier Foundation. Made in Italy.
ShopCassina LC4 Chaise Lounge
Designed in 1928, the LC4 Chaise Longue (or "long chair" in English) was dubbed the "relaxing machine" because of the way it mirrors the body's natural curves while appearing to float above its supports. An infinite number of sitting angles are achievable with the LC4, as the moveable frame adjusts along the base, from upright to full recline. The LC4 is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Each piece is signed, numbered and, as a product of Cassina's Masters Collection, manufactured by Cassina under exclusive worldwide license from the Le Corbusier Foundation. Made in Italy. Photo Courtesy of Design Within Reach
ShopCassina LC10-P Square Low Table
Le Corbusier referred to a house as a "machine for living," an industrial product that should include functional furniture or "equipment de l'habitation." In this spirit, he designed a system of furniture with Charlotte Perriand and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret. Expressing the rationalist aesthetic that came to epitomize the International Style, the framework of the LC10-P Square Low Table (1928) is reduced to a minimum. It was Perriand’s idea to manufacture the legs and side pieces separately to ensure the highest quality finish; in this fashion, components of various sizes can be used to create tables more in line with demand today. The LC10 Table is included in the permanent collection at MoMA in New York. Each piece is signed, numbered and, as a product of Cassina's Masters Collection, manufactured by Cassina under exclusive worldwide license from the Le Corbusier Foundation. Made in Italy. Photo Courtesy of Design Within Reach
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