Pierre Paulin Biography
Pierre Paulin, born in 1927, was a renowned French designer whose legacy has been celebrated and exhibited around the world. Noted for his complex approach and architectural imagination, Paulin was a notable stylist despite his unpredictable and reclusive nature. Born to a French father and a mother of Swiss-German origin, Paulin spent his early years living with two exceptional uncles. In particular, his paternal uncle, Georges Paulin, is known for being the inventor of Eclipse, the world's first retractable hardtop system.
Initially wanting to become a sculptor, Pierre decides to study ceramics in Vallauris. He subsequently moved to Burgundy where he specialized in stone sculpture. However, due to an accident involving a tendon in his right arm, Paulin was forced to review his aspirations. He then decided to enroll at the prestigious École Camondo design school in Paris, where he had the opportunity to work in the laboratory of the renowned furniture designer Marcel Gascoin.
During his journey, Paulin traveled extensively, visiting countries such as Scandinavia and the United States, where he was able to draw inspiration from the work of important designers such as Eames and George Nelson. His first significant collaboration was with Thonet, for whom he designed desks and chairs starting in 1954. These designs met with great success and were exhibited at the Salon des Arts ménagers in Paris. In 2008, Ligne Roset reissued the CM 141 desk (now Tanis) and the CM 131 chair, maintaining the original lines, but enriching the finishes.
Ligne Roset has also revived other important projects by Paulin, including the new version of the TV chair, made with steel tubing and fabric padding. Furthermore, the minimalist Daybed, which combines a sofa and a coffee table and which was already a success in the 1950s with its Scandinavian design, the Elysée fabric armchair, designed for the decoration of the French presidential palace in the 1970s, and the soft and welcoming Bonnie sofa, whose elements were taken from one of the rare examples available on the collector's market.
We cannot forget the iconic projects created for Artifort, for which Paulin designed famous chairs such as Mushroom (1959), Orange Slice (1960), Tulip (1965) and Ribbon (1966), which have become classics and are still in production. These sessions exemplify Paulin's eclectic and sculptural approach, in perfect harmony with the tastes of the 1960s era.
