Jacques Adnet
1900 – 1984
Jacques Adnet was a major French architect, decorator, and designer of the 20th century, serving as a leading figure of both Modernism and Art Deco. As the director of the prestigious Compagnie des Arts Français for nearly thirty years, he successfully combined the rigorous requirements of functionalism with the elegance of the most luxurious materials. His sleek style, characterized by the innovative use of metal, glass, and especially saddle-stitched leather, embodies the epitome of post-war Parisian chic.
Biography
Trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, he began his career in the 1920s alongside his twin brother Jean, with whom he exhibited avant-garde geometric designs at the Salons des Artistes Décorateurs.
In 1928, he took over the leadership of the Compagnie des Arts Français (CAF), succeeding Louis Süe and André Mare, and radically transformed its artistic direction by inviting major modernist creators like Charlotte Perriand, Georges Jouve, and René Coulon.
During the 1950s, he revolutionized high-end furniture by wrapping metal and glass structures in topstitched leather, initiating a legendary collaboration with the fashion house Hermès to create mirrors, lamps, and desks that became global design icons.
A highly sought-after interior designer, he completed prestigious official commissions, including President Vincent Auriol's private apartments at the Élysée Palace and lounges for the UNESCO headquarters, before directing the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs from 1959 to 1970.
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