Although his Instagram account has now been cleared, fans will remember the days when Frank Ocean shared rare moments of his personal life, such as the interior of his NYC apartment. The iconic image of a brightly illuminated room with a sizable pyramid-esque teal sofa and Frank Ocean lounging on top, created a mysterious fascination. This was partly due to fans getting an insider glimpse into the artist’s residence, but mainly due to the ornamental and captivating couch. Originally designed by French designer #PierrePaulin in the 70s, Paulin’s surrealist aesthetic and progressive designs have long been admired for having revolutionised everyday seating.

Born in France to a family of artists, Paulin explored his creative spirit from a young age. His uncle had invented the folding mechanism for hardtop convertible cars, and his great uncle was a sculptor. Heavily influenced by these creative role models, he first sought a career as a ceramist, but after injuring his arm he instead enrolled at the Paris interior design school. Under the mentorship of Marcel Gascoin, Paulin found inspiration in Scandinavian aesthetics, Japanese works, and the modernist American designs of Charles and Ray Eames.

By the 60s, Paulin collaborated with furniture company Artifort, bringing with him his fondness for abstract forms. Artifort was where Paulin’s work evolved and where his signature designs including the Mushroom, Ribbon, and Tongue chairs were created. 

“A chair should be more than simply functional. I considered the manufacture of chairs to be rather primitive and I was trying to think up new processes”. 

A decade later, the ‘Dune’ – the striking geometric piece owned by Frank Ocean – was conceptualised. The ‘Dune’ collection features four modules, designed to be moved and interchanged allowing for a personalised look.

Using foam and rubber from Italy and stretchy swimwear fabric to create his hedonistic sculptural designs, Paulin’s work reflected the mood of the 60s and his distinctive work earned him commissions for the Louvre and Élysée Palace.