Mathieu Matégot

Born in 1910 in Budapest, Hungary, Mathieu Matégot was a Franco-Bulgarian designer who became an icon of French design in the 1950s thanks to his avant-garde approach to form and materials. After graduating from the Budapest School of Architecture in 1929, he worked as a set designer for the National Theatre. Matégot then spent two years travelling in Italy and the United States before settling in France in 1931, where he continued to work in the theatre, notably at the Folies Bergères.

He served France during the Second World War but was taken prisoner before being released in 1944 and naturalised as a French citizen. Whilst in captivity, he worked on the production of mechanical fittings, where he learnt to work with sheet metal.

Mathieu Matégot invented for metal what lace is to fabric: perforated metal mesh. This finely perforated metal would make the designer a star of the 1950s in the world of interior design. This signature mesh can be found on a variety of items, such as trays, tables and chairs designed by the artist.

After exhibiting his work at the Salon of Decorative Artists and the Autumn Salon, Mathieu Matégot quickly went on to enjoy wider success, not only as a designer but also as a tapestry maker. Several of his works are on display in museums.

The internationally renowned designer has collaborated with numerous brands, including the celebrated Danish furniture company Gubi. For them, he created the Matégot collection, a wonderfully varied range of interior furnishings. It includes, for example, coat racks, lighting, flower pots and even coffee tables and matching chairs. In keeping with the signature style of his work, Matégot makes extensive use of metal in the design of his pieces, yet possesses a keen sense of contrast and is skilled at working with a variety of materials.