Daphné Riou is Global Co-Head of Design at Christie’s New York, where she has led the department since 2018. She brings a transatlantic perspective to the field of 20th century design, with particular expertise in French design and Tiffany Studios, and works closely with an international collector base across both auction and private sale channels.
At Christie’s, Daphné has been instrumental in bringing major Tiffany collections to market, including Tiffany Masterworks from the Garden Museum: A Private Collection (2022) and The Ann and Gordon Getty Collection (2022). She has overseen landmark results for Tiffany Studios, notably the Pond Lily lamp, which achieved $3.4 million. She has played a key role in a number of important sales dedicated to the sculptures of François Xavier and Claude Lalanne in New York, including Sculpting Paradise: The Collection of Marie Lalanne (2022) and François Xavier Lalanne, Sculpteur | Collection Dorothée Lalanne (2024). Alongside public auctions, she advises collectors on private sales, providing tailored access to exceptional works.
Prior to her current role, Daphné held specialist positions at another international auction house in Paris, London, and New York, where she contributed to the sale of major works and private collections of 20th century design.
Daphné began her career at Christie’s Paris, where she was involved in the landmark 2011 sale of the Château de Gourdon Art Deco collections, which achieved €42 million. She holds a Master’s degree from HEC Paris Business School and studied art history at the École du Louvre, complemented by early professional experience at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.