Saint Laurent steps into Milan Design Week with a sharp-edged collaboration curated by Anthony Vaccarello. The project, titled Saint Laurent – Charlotte Perriand, revisits four original designs by Charlotte Perriand, all produced for the first time in full scale. Each piece, pulled from decades-old prototypes or sketches, arrives as a limited-edition reissue, marking a rare moment where concept becomes object.
The collection spans work from 1943 to 1967 and includes a bookcase, armchair, table, and a large-scale sofa, all produced with high attention to materiality and design intent. Vaccarello selected the pieces from personal studies and private archives, reviving furniture originally created for Perriand’s own homes or commissioned for diplomatic spaces.
Among the most visually ambitious pieces stands the Banquette de la Résidence de l’Ambassadeur du Japon à Paris. Perriand designed the curved, five-seat sofa in 1967 for the Japanese ambassador’s residence, working in collaboration with architect Junzô Sakakura. Built from rosewood and cane and finished with Thai silk by Jim Thompson, the sofa stretches over seven meters. Its upward-curving base creates the illusion of weightlessness, despite its size and mass. The Japanese Embassy in Paris provided critical details to help reconstruct the piece.
Another key inclusion is the Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro, first created in 1962 from solid Brazilian rosewood. Designed for Jacques Martin, Perriand’s husband, the bookcase supports both books and artworks, with sliding cane doors crafted using techniques from traditional Brazilian homes. The original remains in a private collection and has only surfaced publicly a handful of times over the last quarter century.
For the first time, Saint Laurent also brings La Table Mille-Feuilles into full scale. Perriand designed the table in 1963 with a circular top formed by ten stacked layers of alternating light and dark wood. The center of the table dips inward to form concentric rings. Originally, Perriand left the design unrealized due to machining difficulties. Now, thanks to modern production techniques, each new piece uses rosewood and cherrywood and takes on its own personality depending on the grain and texture of the materials.
The fourth piece, Le Fauteuil Visiteur Indochine, originated from Perriand’s time in Vietnam in the 1940s, when she served as Director of Crafts and Applied Arts. The original chair disappeared, but one sketch survived. That drawing now forms the basis for a new edition made from chrome tubing, leather, and rosewood, complete with a traditional Thai cushion on the seat.
Saint Laurent will present all four pieces at the Padiglione Visconti in Milan from April 8 to 13. Each furniture item will be available only on a made-to-order basis. At the same time, Saint Laurent will activate additional locations to support the project. The Saint Laurent Editions kiosk in Piazza San Babila will feature a dedicated publication with photography by Perriand, as well as a full catalogue of the furniture collection.
In Paris, two retail locations will also host satellite installations. From April 8 to May 7, Saint Laurent Rive Droite will display selections of Perriand’s photography, while Saint Laurent Babylone will run a similar presentation from April 9 through May 4.
