Widely acknowledged to be one of the 20th century’s most important and influential designers, Jean Prouvé’s (1909–1984) work blurs the line between the mathematical and the aesthetic.

Born in France in 1901, Prouvé trained as a metal artisan before opening his own workshop in Nancy in 1924. Embracing bold and reduced forms in his designs, Prouvé combined elegance with economy of means and was a champion of industrial materials such as steel and aluminium.

Prouvé brought a strong social conscience to his work, believing that design should be accessible. His interest and research into prefabricated housing and mass-production, along with his innovative use of industrial materials, was enormously influential on European post-war design. Today, Prouvé legacy lives on with many of his most iconic designs issued as re-editions by Vitra.