Elizabeth Garouste Delivers a Whimsical Collection at Ralph Pucci
The French design extraordinaire draws inspiration from ancient Greece and cozy English country houses
At a time when everyone could use a bit of fantasy, that’s exactly what French design extraordinaire Elizabeth Garouste delivers. In her second collection with Ralph Pucci in New York, Garouste’s pieces exude a whimsical yet sophisticated spirit in a staggering scope of techniques and materials.
“She’s a true original,” says Pucci. Artistic forms get a boost of energy with audacious color combinations. “The play of forms, materials, and colors gives the whole collection a poetic air,” notes the artist, who cites inspiration as diverse as ancient Greece and cozy English country houses.
Among the works are a gilded wrought-iron floor lamp that emits an ethereal glow thanks to a gemlike frosty blue bulb, bronze sconces shaped that resemble Surrealist theatre masks with contorted faces, and a striking armoire made of patinated iron dotted with ceramic disks in alternating shades of blue. Adding even more whimsy is a striped swing chair with an exaggerated curved shape hanging from wrought-iron chains. Visitors will also find a gilded mirror with amoeba-esque cutouts, a three-legged console adorned with masks that features a stone top, and a pill-shaped black credenza with flagellum-like red legs.
As a way to activate the collection for a series of special images and bring the space alive, Pucci tapped dancers from Alice Farley’s troupe bedecked in elaborate frocks to mingle among the pieces. “We wanted to create the emotion of her surrealistic dreamscapes,” explains Pucci. “It’s more than putting a beautiful product on the floor. You have to take it to the next level.” ralphpucci.com
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2020 Fall issue under the headline “Wit and Whimsy.” Subscribe to the magazine.