The Woman Behind Le Corbusier’s Iconic Chaise Almost Didn’t Get the Job
French designer Charlotte Perriand was initially turned down for a role at Corbu’s Paris studio—until one of her works quickly changed his mind.
In 1927, at just 24, Charlotte Perriand waltzed into Le Corbusier’s atelier. She asked for a job and was swiftly rejected with the now infamous line, "We don’t embroider cushions here." She was neither amused nor deterred. Perriand designed Bar Sous le Toit ("Bar Under the roof") made of curved chrome, glass, and aluminum for Paris’s annual Salon d’Automne, recreating a space she’d originally built on the top floor of her own apartment. Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier’s cousin and collaborator, brought him to see Perriand’s installation. Le Corbusier was so impressed that he apologized and hired her as a furniture designer.
Perriand poses on the model B 306 chaise lounge (manufactured as the LC4 Chaise Lounge by Cassina since 1965) from her first landmark collaboration with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret.
Courtesy of Archives Charlotte Perriand
Perriand made significant contributions to Le Corbusier’s furniture oeuvre, collaborating often with Corbu and Jeanneret. In 1928, the trio designed a collection of tubular steel chairs, including the LC4 Chaise Lounge, which were exhibited at the 1929 Salon d’Automne. Le Corbusier called the chaise lounge (originally the B 306 model) the "relaxing machine" for its simulation of the body’s natural curves. The chaise and other chairs from the landmark collaboration have been manufactured by Cassina since the mid-1960s.
One of Perriand’s early sketches of the LC4.
Courtesy of Design Museum
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Perriand worked at Le Corbusier’s Paris atelier until 1937 and went on to have a career filled with hugely influential designs and collaborations. She worked for many years with glass, molded aluminum, and steel before moving onto cane and woodworking. "There is one thing I never did," she remarked in a 1999 interview, shortly before her death, "and that was flirt. That is, I didn’t ‘dabble,’ I created and produced, and my job was important."
A photomontage made by Perriand in 1929.
Courtesy of Archives Charlotte Perriand
A portrait of Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, and Pierre Jeanneret (from left).
Courtesy of Archives Charlotte Perriand
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Cassina 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 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 LC7 Swivel Chair
The LC7 Swivel Chair (1928) evolved from one of a number of experiments, including an attempt to fashion a chair by wrapping inner tubes from tires around a steel frame. As the Le Corbusier group refined such trials, sensuous solutions took form. LC7 consists of a round, thickly padded seat fitted on top of a curving claw-like base of tubular steel that resolves in a swivel mechanism, giving the seat pad a buoyant look. It’s topped with a curved, amply padded barrel that doubles as backrest and armrest, linked by three tubular steel supports that fuse at the seat base. Each piece is signed and numbered and, as a product of Cassina’s Masters Collection, is 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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This article was originally published on March 8, 2015. It was updated on May 30, 2024, to include current information.
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