Paul Follot (1877-1941) started his artistic career as the student of Eugne Grasset, who he suceeded as professor of Decorative Arts at the rue Vavin School. In 1901 he moved to La Maison Moderne and by 1904 was working on his own, re-interpreting traditional designs in a contemporary idiom. His early Art Nouveau style was modified to stylised floral, fruit and garland designs on his furniture, the carvings executed by Laurent Malcls. These carved giltwood frames with brightly coloured upholstery are today considered the emobidment of continental Art Deco. In 1923 Follot became director of Au Bon Marche department store and later in 1929 became co-director with Serge Chermayeff of the Modern French Furniture section of Waring & Gillow in Paris. Towards the end of his career his designs became much simpler, using contrasts of finely figured woods and moving to more modernist lines.