Hervé Van der Straeten Shows at Ralph Pucci

Hervé Van der Straeten’s current solo show has traveled from the designer’s gallery in Paris to London’s Pavilion of Art & Design and has now hopped the pond to land in New York at Ralph Pucci International. The collection introduced to the stateside industry last night at Pucci’s 30,000-square-foot showroom is titled “Structure/s” and includes one-off pieces and limited-edition furniture, lighting and accessories.

The showcase feels like an art exhibit—dissonant shapes and volumes interact while contrasting colors collide, dissimilar materials are paired in unexpected ways. However, when asked about the artistic quality of his work, Van der Straeten is quick to reply, “Furniture is as good as a piece of art, but it is still separate. It is still utility; it has function.”

Ralph Pucci graciously welcomed the designer, whose clients include the prestigious Mobilier National, the French state’s official supplier of furniture and decorative objects. The evening’s celebratory opening was interrupted just once as Pucci toasted the late Andrée Putnam, a brief moment of solemnity in the festivity.