Gio Ponti Chair and Sofa

We attended a beautiful evening of mid 20th century design and contemporary art last night at Squat #1. This exhibition is set in a beautiful Haussmanian apartment in Paris 75016 until 15 November. To see design and art together in situ like this is so incredible… especially when it’s curated by Dimore Studio. Our imaginations ran wild with ideas and inspiration that we received from this talented group!

This chair caught out attention because we have been anticipating seeing it at Design Élysées, which opens on Thurs. It is by Gio Ponti in the early 1960s. It was designed for the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Rome. Best part about seeing last night was that we got to sit in it! What luxury!

The matching Gio Ponti sofa designed for the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Rome. 

Dali and Schiaparelli

As part of the major revitalization of the Paris fashion house Schiaparelli, a couture salon is reopening at 21 Place Vendome, the exact spot where the original salon was created in 1935. Restored and redecorated by Vincent Darre, there are gilded mirrors formerly owned by Yves Saint Laurent, sculpture by Salvador Dali, glasses by Man Ray, chairs by Gio Ponti, and a fabulous fuchsia padded sofa.

The Hall of Mirrors in the Schiaparelli Salon. Look at that glorious chandelier.

DaIi was a close personal friend of Elsa Schiaparelli and his influence could be seen throughout her fashion designs (remember the famous ‘lobster’ dress worn by the Duchess of Windsor). Schiaparelli’s lifetime rival, Coco Chanel, disparagingly called her “that Italian artist who makes clothes”—an interesting example of design crossing artistic and fashion boundaries.