Jacques Adnet was a towering figure in 20th-century avant-garde French design, known for his luxurious Art Deco furniture and interiors. Educated in architecture at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Adnet began his career working with his twin brother Jean, and would soon forge relationships with a team of collaborators that included Charlotte Perriand, Georges Jouve, Alexandre Noll, and Serge Mouille. Drawing on classical and traditional precedents, Adnet believed in function above all else, and his streamlined, modernist designs emphasized material—like leather, brushed metals, and precious woods. One of his most iconic designs is the Adnet Mirror, a single circular pane hung from a leather strap. “What a lot of work to achieve simplicity,” he once said.