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See Our Favorite Pieces From Le French Design 100 Festival

They're the best of the best.

March 3, 2022

What is the future of French design? That’s the question that Le French Design 100, the Paris festival now in its second year, is aiming to answer with the help of a global panel of jurors. Directors from institutions like  France’s Mobilier National, New York’s Cooper Hewitt and London’s V&A crowned 100 objects and interior design projects—from furniture and lighting to hotels and restaurants—from French creators as the very best of the best. The list includes boldface names like India Mahdavi and Gilles & Boissier as well as up-and-coming talent worth keeping an eye on. Below, FREDERIC design editor Hudson Moore chooses five of the standout winners from this year’s festival.


 

Thomas Dozol

India Mahdavi

That’s all Folks – Ateliers Lison de Caunes

“India is a legend—her work is so compelling and unique, and it has such a special point of view. Everything about this table is genius, from the target-inspired shape to the treatment of the stain. It’s done in straw marquetry, a 17th-century technique, but feels so modern.”

 

Felipe Ribon

Mathieu Lehanneur

Collection Inverted Gravity – New York

“This table is so unique—it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before! The way they he used stone and glass feels almost inverted, and the end result has this beautiful weightlessness to it.”

 

Alexandre Tabaste

Bouroullec

Rope Chair – Artek

“Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec make the most ingenious furniture, taking very simple, functional forms and putting a playful spin on them. I love how approachable their design sensibility is. This chair is especially fun because it’s customizable—you can swap out the rope for different materials and colors.”

 

Yannick Labrousse

Pool Studio

Barrel – Atelier François Pouenat

“This desk might be my favorite piece from the whole competition. From the mix of metal and leather to the barrel treatment of the sides to the way that the storage is integrated into the legs, I think it’s all genius. You still have that sleek look.”

 

Courtesy of Studio Haos

Studio Haos

3e Collection – Haos

“These guys do the most amazing work in wood. I love how the sides divot in instead of having a hard edge—whenever wood has a curve like this, it really softens the material, which can feel harsh sometimes. I feel like it’s a very substantial piece without feeling heavy. It’s very Jean Royère.”