Pierre Paulin: They Say It's Your Birthday

As designer Pierre Paulin turns 80, he finds his signature designs recast for a new generation by Artifort, his longtime manufacturing partner.

Mark McMenamin -- Interior Design, 7/17/2007 12:00:00 AM

View the Slideshow

This year's Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan was the launching pad for a yearlong celebration of Pierre Paulin, the French-born designer and aesthetic authority at Artifort, for whom Paulin has spent 50 of his 80 years designing.

"Some milestones demand action, and the special jubilee of Pierre Paulin was certainly no exception," proclaimed Artifort in their spring newsletter. Indeed, Paulin has supplied more than his share of iconic designs to the Dutch upholstery specialist, including Orange Slice, a sassy take on space-age style from 1960. His slouchy Mushroom pouffe, also from 1960, is now included in the collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Artifort has continuously produced these and many other Paulin classics, but now it also reaches back into the archives to revive several out-of-production examples of Paulin's artistry. These include Le Chat, a 1967 lounger immediately identifiable by its extravagantly arched seat, and ABCD, an award-winning sofa from 1968 that's similarly distinguished by its sinuous silhouette. Additionally, the manufacturer has revived the wavy Momentum fabric, designed in 1967 by Paulin's longtime friend and colleague, Jack Lenor Larsen. The pattern is now available for application on any of Paulin's designs.

But Paulin's birthday celebration isn't limited to Artifort's production line. You can catch exhibitions devoted to Paulin's designs this summer at Villa Noailles in Hyeres, France, through September 16, and this fall at Mobilier National in Paris, from November 5 through January 5. Similar shows are planned for next year in Belgium and Japan.