saint laurent revives unseen furniture by charlotte perriand in milan

saint laurent-charlotte perriand takes to milan design week

At Milan Design Week 2025’s Salone del Mobile, Saint Laurent unveils four previously unseen furniture pieces by pioneering 20th-century designer Charlotte Perriand. The exhibition, Saint Laurent-Charlotte Perriand, gathers works created between 1943 and 1967 as prototypes or sketches, now reproduced as full-scale editions for the first time. One of the key pieces, La Banquette de la Résidence de l’Ambassadeur du Japon à Paris (1967), was originally designed as a five-seat sofa for the residence of Japan’s ambassador in Paris.

Commissioned by architect Junzô Takakura, the monolithic work was envisioned by Perriand to appear as though it were floating, despite its considerable weight, an illusion achieved by extending the over-seven-meter-long base and curving it upwards at both ends. The piece is now remanufactured in limited numbers, crafted from rosewood, cane, and Jim Thompson Thai silk.

all images courtesy of Saint Laurent

unveiling the 20th-century designers works for the first time

This rare insight into Charlotte Perriand’s enduring influence on modernist furniture is produced under the creative direction of Anthony Vaccarello, with the collaboration underscoring Saint Laurent’s commitment to heritage. Perriand’s connection to the house traces back to Yves Saint Laurent himself, who admired and collected her works, while Pierre Bergé, his longtime business partner, further championed her legacy by supporting retrospectives of her work.

Also on display at the exhibition is La Table Mille-Feuilles (1963). Though it was originally deemed too complex to manufacture and existed solely as a model on Perriand’s desk for decades, it is now finally being produced in full scale. The table consists of ten superimposed layers of contrasting woods – rosewood and cherrywood – forming concentric circles on its bevelled, recessed top. Each piece will be unique, shaped by the natural variations in wood grain and the molding process.

the exhibition is named Saint Laurent-Charlotte Perriand

La Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro (1962), a bookcase originally crafted for Perriand’s husband to accommodate both books and artworks, is also on view. The structure is made from solid Brazilian rosewood and features sliding doors of woven cane – echoing the shading techniques used in traditional Brazilian homes. It has remained largely unseen, with its original version exhibited only three times over the past twenty-five years.

The final design, Le Fauteuil Visiteur Indochine (1943), traces back to Perriand’s time in Vietnam, where she served as Director of Crafts and Applied Arts. This elegant armchair, lost over time and known only through drawings, has been reconstructed through a fusion of modernist principles and vernacular craftsmanship. It now features a chromed tubular frame with a rosewood seat and backrest, topped with a traditional Thai cushion.

The exhibition takes place from April 8th to 13th at Padiglione Visconti in Milan, with each piece available in limited, made-to-order editions. Those visiting can register here. Alongside the showcase, Saint Laurent presents a selection of Perriand’s photography at its Parisian locations and publishes a dedicated volume on her visionary images.

The story is updated on April 8th, 2025 to include the exhibition images.

view of La Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro (1962)