FEATURES ARCHIVE

"What we tried to do was to mix older elements that we found when we arrived...and some of the more modern creations by Knoll international such as materials, carpets and benches by Mies van der Rohe, and tables and chairs by Saarinen or Florence Knoll”  - Yves Vidal

The works to be offered in the sale of Charles Sévigny and Yves Vidal’s collection wonderfully highlight their eclectic style, flair for design and international impact on other designers, epitomized by the unique fusion of classic and contemporary styles. Originally trained as an architect, American born Charles Sévigny moved to Paris in 1948 where he subsequently worked for an American interior design magazine. He was soon after appointed by the Department of State to redesign all the American ambassadors’ homes in Europe. Then, in the early 1950s, Charles Sévigny designed the first boutique in Paris for Knoll enterprises, an American modern furniture design company. Following this venture, Charles introduced Yves Vidal to Hans and Florence Knoll who decided to appoint him as the President of Knoll’s office in France. Together Charles and Yves joined forces to promote Knoll; Yves was leading the company forward while Charles used his creative vision to contribute new designs.

With a fashionable apartment on the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, and York Castle, once the British Governor's mansion in Tangiers, the artists used their homes as blank canvases, on which they could project their creative tendencies and showcase a modern fusion of both classical and contemporary design. Some of these items were designed by Sévigny himself, whilst others were accumulated from admired artists and designers, often among their friends. Sévigny and Vidal together assembled a wide array of items ranging from 18th century furniture to post-war works of art, not to mention a notable group of Islamic objects. The forthcoming sale presents a rare opportunity to capture a glimpse of their exquisite tastes and sense of style, and to revive some of the wonderfully avant-garde elements of 1960s and 1970s interior design. The sale
proceeds will be donated to the Institut Pasteur in Paris.