Mushrooms, oysters, Tongues, and tulips are some of the iconic shapes French designer Pierre Paulin (1927–2009) was best known for creating. Having trained under Parisian designer Marcel Gascion, Paulin was influenced by the Scandinavian aesthetic as well as American pre-fabricated designs by Charles and Ray Eames, and Florence Knoll.

Inspired to develop his own brand of accessible luxury, Paulin began designing and manufacturing seats made of molded wood lined with foam padding and fashioned with a stretch elastic jersey fabric for Thonet-France, such as this armless, three-seater Multimo Sofa (Model F286 circa 1969) in an aqua blue stretch jersey fabric over a foam and metal frame.

Paulin’s forward-looking, innovative designs for affordable chairs, divans, and sofas in an array of bright and vivid colors, can be found in contemporary art and design collections around the world.

Photographed in Demisch Danant Furniture Gallery in Manhattan.