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Laffanour | Galerie Downtown Brings Iconic Design to MAZE Art Gstaad – Where Heritage Meets High Society

Laffanour | Galerie Downtown Brings Iconic Design to MAZE Art Gstaad – Where Heritage Meets High Society February 1, 2025Art Events, Gstaad0 Comments

Laffanour | Galerie Downtown Brings Design Masterpieces to MAZE Art Gstaad – Where Timeless Craft Meets Elite Collecting

There are design fairs, and then there’s MAZE Art Gstaad – a place where art and design aren’t just exhibited, but experienced in the kind of setting that feels more like a collector’s dream come to life. This year, from February 14th to 16th, 2025, Laffanour | Galerie Downtown brings its unmatched curation of postwar and contemporary design to the heart of the Swiss Alps, offering a rare chance to acquire pieces that carry both history and soul.

For those in the know, Laffanour isn’t just a gallery. Based in Paris, it has long championed the timeless works of Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret, and Le Corbusier, preserving the legacy of these 20th-century masters while engaging in a dialogue with today’s most intriguing contemporary artists and designers.

Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) – Stool Ca. 1950
Aluminium seat, black tubular metal legsand wooden shoes.
Steph Simon edition
H. 43 x W. 45 x D. 38 cm

Why This Collection Matters – And Why It’s Perfect for Gstaad

Laffanour’s showcase at MAZE isn’t just a display; it’s a statement about what great design is and why it still matters today. The spotlight is on Jean Prouvé’s legendary stool, a piece that embodies everything he stood for: industrial innovation, functionality, and effortless beauty. The stool’s embossed aluminum seat in metallic green, set against tubular black legs and wooden feet, feels just as fresh today as it did in the 1950s. And for design obsessives, there’s an added layer of intrigue – Prouvé’s earlier prototype of this piece, featuring a star-shaped central leg, remains locked away in the private collection of his brother, Pierre Prouvé.

François Laffanour © DePasquale+Maffini

But this is far from a one-note exhibition. Laffanour’s curation extends far beyond France, bringing in the tactile richness of a pequi wood coffee table by Brazilian master José Zanine Caldas, the sculptural genius of Vassilakis Takis, and the bold artistic explorations of Richard Texier and Thomas Ruff. Add to that a selection of Shaker furniture, where form meets function with effortless grace, and you have a collection that isn’t just aesthetically striking – it tells a story of craftsmanship across time and continents.

José Zanine Caldas (1919-2001)
Coffee table, 1978
Glass and pequi.
H. 30 x D. 150 cm

Roger Capron (1922-2006)
Large coffee table Ca. 1960
Square coffee table with a faience tiled top supported by a quadripod metal base.Signed ‘R.Capron’ on the side of the table.
H. 101 x W. 200 x D. 43 cm

The MAZE Effect: Why This Fair Is Redefining Luxury Collecting

Unlike the typical mega-fair where art and design can feel like commodities, MAZE Art Gstaad offers a refreshingly intimate approach. Founded by Thomas Hug, the fair curates a select number of galleries that bring together the very best in fine art, sculpture, design, and photography, ensuring a level of exclusivity that mirrors Gstaad’s own understated luxury. With past editions held in Barcelona, St. Moritz, Zurich, Vienna, Paris, and Milan, MAZE has already cemented its reputation as a fair for true connoisseurs – those who value quality over quantity, heritage over hype.

For Laffanour, participating in MAZE isn’t just about showing great design – it’s about curating a conversation between past and present, between history and innovation. And where better to do that than in Gstaad, where everything, from the untouched alpine beauty to the collectors who frequent its slopes – exists in a world of its own?

A Final Thought from Shari

Great design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about legacy. And in a place like Gstaad, where the appreciation for fine craftsmanship runs as deep as the fresh powder on the slopes, this exhibition couldn’t feel more at home. So, whether you’re looking for a Prouvé stool, a Caldas table, or just an excuse to surround yourself with design history in one of the most exclusive settings on earth, this is your moment.

And if you end up justifying another iconic piece for your chalet?

Well, some investments are simply too beautiful to pass up.