Serge Mouille is a renowned French designer who revolutionized the lighting industry with his innovative and iconic designs. Born in Paris in 1922, Mouille had a passion for metallurgy and silversmithing from a young age. He enrolled in the silver workshop at the School of Applied Arts at just 13 years old, much to his parents' initial disappointment. However, he proved to be a gifted student and started teaching at the school by the age of 25.
After earning his degree, Mouille gained experience working for several companies and apprenticed under Gabriel Lacroix. He eventually opened his own workshop, where he began creating lighting designs that would change the industry forever. In 1953, Mouille introduced his first lighting design, the Three-Arm Floor Lamp. This lamp was both minimal and organic in form, drawing on his knowledge of metals and his interest in musculature and skeletons. The shape of the shades was inspired by the female form, with Mouille famously saying, "Lamps are there to be touched." The Three-Arm Lamp has become an icon of modern design, with originals fetching as much as six figures at auction.
