Antoine Philippon & Jacqueline Lecoq

Antoine Philippon is born in 1930 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. After his studies at the Ecole Boulle, he joins Marcel Gascoin’s studio where he meets in 1954 Jacqueline Lecoq who is born in 1932 in Orléans and graduated from the ENSAD. The duet is inseparable; they live and work together until Antoine Philippon’s death in 1995. They open a studio in Faubourg Saint-Antoine in 1955 in the one of Mouraux who is a cabinet-maker, their first publisher, and above all Philippon’s grandfather. Exhibited at the SAM, or at the SAD from 1956 they are successful since the beginning of their career. They decide to extend their work abroad for the quality of the German industrial post-war equipment and also for the respect of the designer’s position in Germany. They realise the organisation of a flat conceived by Pierre Vago in a Berlin’s district for Interbau urbanism project, there they meet their second publisher Degorre. This order is the beginning of a rich and lasting collaboration with Germany. The success of the kitchen’s model “Triennale”, produced by Osta and edited by WK in Stuttgart, is its testimony. Their furniture is a reference to Donald Judd’s one, particularly their range in 1958 edited by Bofinger with white laminate on the frontages. Their talent is also recognised in France, so they are solicited to design an adolescent bedroom in the “Maison de médecin” managed by Renou and Genisset for the French pavilion of the Universal Exhibition of Brussels in 1958. The use of innovating materials as the post-formed laminate and steel blade with lamination is one of the main couple’s characteristics. For instance, they win in 1959 the first prize of society Formica’s competition thanks to their furniture TV record player bar in post-formed laminate exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs. Then, in 1960, they are the laureates of Saint-Gobain’s competition at the Salon des Arts Ménagers with their desk in glass edited by Degorre. Among their successful works the chair P60 edited by Airborne is one of the most beautiful and sold chairs in the 1960’s as well as their seatings range “Confort” in 1964 edited by Les Huchers Minvielle. Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq devote their time to the organisation of private interiors but also in important building sites as La Maison de la Radio. They put a lot in their adopted cities Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Le Vésinet. Besides, they devote their self to teaching at the ENSAD and the ESAG Penninghen.