Yves Saint Laurent is one of my fashion icons.
But that’s another story.
This one is about Saint Laurent’s striking presence during Salone del Mobile—Milan Design Week, as most call it. At Padiglione Visconti, Saint Laurent unveils four previously unseen furniture pieces by pioneering designer, photographer, and creative visionary Charlotte Perriand. A radical thinker who believed great design should be for everyone, Perriand blended European modernism with Asian sensibility to create some of the 20th century’s most significant furniture.
The exhibition, Saint Laurent – Charlotte Perriand, features works created between 1943 and 1967—some originally conceived as sketches, others as early studies. Now, for the first time, they are realised as full-scale editions.
One of the key highlights?
La Banquette de la Résidence de l’Ambassadeur du Japon à Paris (1967)—a five-seat sofa made for the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Paris. Commissioned by architect Junzô Takakura, the design gives the illusion of weightlessness: a base spanning over seven metres, gently curving upwards at both ends. Now available in limited quantities, it’s reissued using rosewood, woven cane, and Jim Thompson Thai silk.
Other works speak to her sensitivity to setting and form: sculptural, curved screens created from salvaged timber. A beautiful reuse of natural resources. And yes—I’m completely in love with these room dividers. Subtle, strong, and full of presence.
Under Anthony Vaccarello’s creative direction, the presentation reflects Saint Laurent’s ongoing dialogue with design and legacy. It’s no coincidence: Yves Saint Laurent collected Perriand’s work, and Pierre Bergé, his longtime partner, supported retrospectives that helped keep her name alive. What struck me is how each piece responds to its original context. Perriand lived and worked in Japan and Vietnam. That experience is visible. The proportions are deliberate. The material choices—never arbitrary. Each piece holds intention.
Also on view:
Le Fauteuil Visiteur Indochine (1943) –
Inspired by her time in Vietnam as Director of Crafts and Applied Arts.Once lost to history, now revived from archival drawings. A chromed tubular frame, a seat and backrest in rosewood, and a Thai cushion finish it with warmth and softness. It’s one of my favourite palettes—earthy brown and deep blue.
La Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro (1962) –
Originally created for her husband’s collection of books and artworks. The structure pairs solid Brazilian rosewood with cane-panelled sliding doors—echoing the filtered light of traditional Brazilian interiors. Rarely seen, it’s only been shown three times in the last twenty-five years.
La Table Mille-Feuilles (1963) –
Too complex to manufacture at the time, this table remained a model on her desk for decades.
Now, realised in full, it reveals ten layered rings of alternating rosewood and cherrywood, forming a rippling surface of pattern and precision. Each edition will differ slightly—shaped by the unpredictability of wood grain and handcraft.
By giving new life to Perriand’s once-private concepts, Saint Laurent – Charlotte Perriand becomes a sharp, modern gesture—where heritage meets material, and legacy finds new relevance.
Seeing these pieces sparked fresh ideas for interior palettes—royal blue, warm brown, textured neutrals. Charlotte Perriand is now firmly on my radar.
All four pieces are available in limited, made-to-order editions. Alongside this show, Saint Laurent Editions presents a dedicated volume on Perriand’s visionary photography—available at Piazza San Babila—and parallel exhibitions in Paris at Saint Laurent Babylone and Rive Droite.
All images by the author, courtesy of Saint Laurent.
More info: ysl.com
More of Perriand’s work: cassina.com
