Christian Liaigre: A Visionary French Interior Designer

Christian Liaigre: A Visionary French Interior Designer

April 21, 2021

Christian Liaigre is a visionary interior designer, who over the past twenty-five years, has built his reputation on the refined quality of his furniture and interiors. With a keen sensibility for space and light, design inspiration drawn from local cultures and traditions, meticulous attention given to the sourcing of materials, and an affinity for artisanal work – the designer combines the art of understatement with great elegance. Today CovetED brings you some of our favourite design inspiration from the designer.

Christian Liaigre was born in La Rochelle, France in 1943. He studied at the Paris Academy of Fine and Decorative Arts and taught drawing at the Academy Charpentier. After spending 10 years as a horse breeder he decided to open a studio in 1987, focusing on interior architecture and furniture design. His first project to win acclaim was the refurbishment of the Hotel Montalembert in Paris in 1988. Generally speaking, the designer is known due to the fact that he designed private residences for such notables as Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Rupert Murdoch and Bryan Adams.

Among others, he’s responsible for the interior of the uber-trendy Mercer Hotel in New York, the refit of Selfridges department store in London, offices for Valentino Couture in Paris; and Hakkasan, London’s Chinese restaurant of the moment. He has also often been described as Europe’s most renowned industrial architect of the century.

Liaigre’s furniture is simple, sophisticated and luxuriously inviting. Credited to be the first designer to introduce African wenge wood into interiors, Liaigre is fond of blending African wood with traditional timber such as English oak to create his minimal furniture.

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Besides, the opening of the flagship Paris showroom of Christian Liaigre places the renowned French designer’s latest collection in conversation with a selection of antiques, expertly curated by antiquities dealer and interior designer Florence Lopez. This partnership was really successful. As a matter of fact, Lopez and Liaigre were friends for many years and joined forces to create a space that would spotlight the rare antiques and highlight their unique charms while revealing the versatility of the luxurious yet understated designs for which the Liaigre brand is known. The resulting harmony of works from two designers showcases the timeless elegance

He attempts to incorporate the culture of the country or place into his designs. For example, in a modernist retreat on the Galician coast (belonging to Spanish fashion designer Adolfo Dominguez), Liaigre designed sliding screens in the woven willow used by local fishermen to make nets.