NOW CLOSED Exhibition
Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life
Meet one of the giants of 20th century design, a free spirit who championed good design for all and was often overshadowed by her famous male collaborators.
'The French queen of bold, electric modern design.’
★★★★★ The Telegraph
'A beautiful new exhibition' Evening Standard
'Rediscover the work of a design visionary' Stylist
#PerriandLiving
Please note the exhibition has now closed.
Charlotte Perriand with Alfred Roth in Place Saint-Sulpice apartment-studio, Paris, 1928
Place Saint-Sulpice apartment-studio room recreation. LC7 swivel armchairs by Charlotte Perriand, integrated in the LC Collection by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand – Cassina I Maestri Collection
Cantilever bamboo chair and the cross-based bamboo armchair, 1940, by Charlotte Perriand (Cassina)
Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand with Le Corbusier holding a plate like a halo, 1928
Charlotte Perriand, Perspective drawing of the dining room in the Place Saint-Sulpice apartment-studio, Paris, 1928
Double chaise longue, 1952 Charlotte Perriand (Cassina) with two Akari (light) pendant lamps, c.1958, Isamu Noguchi and Nuage (Cloud) bookshelf, Steph Simon edition, c.1958, Charlotte Perriand (Galerie Laffanour Downtown, Paris)
Relief model showing the locations of Arc 1600 and Arc 1800, 2019, (Fondation Louis Vuitton)
What to expect
Enter the world of Charlotte Perriand, whose pioneering designs shaped the 20th century. Her modern ideas can be found in the way we live today, from the use of materials to her belief that good design is for everyone.
Step inside recreations of some of her most famous interiors, including the apartment designed for the Salon d’Automne in 1929, and enjoy some of her furniture up close, such as the iconic Chaise Longue Basculante and the Fauteuil Pivotant. Discover sketches, photographs, scrapbooks and prototypes that shed new light on her unique creative process and her rightful place in design history, alongside works by her friends and peers, including Le Corbusier, Fernand Léger and etchings by Pablo Picasso.
Her life as a fiercely independent woman - a pioneer, a sportswoman and a global traveller – can be traced throughout her work and helped define the modern interior.
The exhibition was curated in collaboration with the Perriand family and archive and marks the 25th anniversary of the first Charlotte Perriand exhibition at the Design Museum in 1996.
Charlotte Perriand joined Le Corbusier studio in Paris in 1927 and co-created timeless pieces including the Grand Confort armchair.
She believed architecture should meet human needs, and as far back as the 1920s she designed open-plan interiors to make sure women didn’t feel trapped in their homes.
From the 1930s onward she increasingly looked at nature for inspiration and was highly influenced by the years she spent in Japan during the Second World War. A passionate skier, Perriand designed one of the most recognisable ski resorts in the world, Les Arcs.
'Dwellings should be designed not only to satisfy material specifications; they should also create conditions that foster harmonious balance and spiritual freedom in people’s lives.'
Charlotte Perriand
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Ticketing information
Online booking in advance is essential.
Adult tickets from £16.30
Student tickets from £12.15*
Family tickets from £24.00
*There are a range of concession tickets available, check our ticket information page for more details.
Please note the exhibition has now closed.
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The Perriand cocktail experience
The Design Museum has teamed up with ALL - Accor Live Limitless to offer an exclusive package for two, including a visit to Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life and a signature drink and light bite for the perfect Perriand inspired day out at Sofitel London St James or Pullman London St Pancras.
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sponsors
Reconstruction Content Partner
Cassina, the only company authorised to manufacture furniture designed by Charlotte Perriand, is delighted to be the Reconstruction Content Partner of the exhibition Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life for which it provided authentic reconstructions of her works, including the revolutionary Salon d'Automne, and loan numerous pieces from its archive.
Official Drinks Partner
Since 1724, Rémy Martin has produced premium spirits that blends tradition and innovation, appealing to the world’s most discerning connoisseurs. A profound love of the land, a continuity of family ownership and a passionate commitment to excellence, has sustained Rémy Martin for nearly three centuries as a leading brand specialised in Fine Champagne Cognac.
Exhibition Hotel Partner
ALL Accor Live Limitless is a daily Lifestyle companion. ALL harnesses and enhances the brands, services and partnerships offered by Accor’s ecosystem delivering meaningful experiences and rewards to its most engaged customers while enabling them to work live, and play, far beyond their stay, at home and around the world. Accor is bringing its Augmented Hospitality strategy to life with new digital platforms, iconic partnerships and a global roll-out plan for all its guests and 68 million loyalty members.
With particular thanks to Design Museum Benefactors and the Charlotte Perriand Circle of Friends for their support of the exhibition:
John & María Pfeffer
Kathy Matsui
This exhibition was curated in collaboration with the Perriand family and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.
Background image © FLC/ ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2020/ AChP.
Exhibition photos by Felix Speller.