Benjamin and Alice Paulin – the grandchildren of French designer Pierre Paulin and the current custodians of Paulin, Paulin, Paulin, the company dedicated to producing and promoting his work – have announced the launch of Sounds Like Paulin, a new cultural label centred on music. Based in Paris, the project is conceived as an immersive sound salon open to artists and creatives, with the ambition to sign, produce and support musicians and composers while fostering collective projects.
Positioned at the intersection of music, design and culture, Sounds Like Paulin extends the spirit of Paulin’s practice into the sonic realm. The initiative will debut with a multi-artist compilation inspired by the universe and legacy of the designer, who radically redefined modern furniture in the 1960s and 1970s. Through sculptural, futuristic forms, Paulin brought avant-garde design into both everyday life and the highest levels of French culture. His iconic creations – including the Mushroom Chair, the Orange Slice Chair, the Ribbon Chair and the Tongue Chair (as well as the F300 chair, which Gubi reissued last year) – embody an organic, inviting vision which Sounds Like Paulin aims to translate into sound.
This dialogue between disciplines was recently echoed by the presence of Paulin designs in Louis Vuitton’s latest runway show, reaffirming the enduring relevance of his creative legacy. Conceived as a listening room and immersive sound space, the installation featured one of the brand’s iconic sofas, reflecting the longstanding dialogue between form and sound championed by Paulin, Paulin, Paulin.
‘We want to transform the concept of the salon into an immersive sound meeting place – an environment capable of bringing together friends and artists who might never have crossed paths otherwise,’ explains Benjamin. ‘Sounds Like Paulin is intended to nurture collective projects and to create a compilation that captures the sonic essence of Pierre Paulin’s world.’
The modern entrance of the Elysee Palace (reopened in 1972) envisioned by Pierre Paulin and featuring his designs
Paulin, Paulin, Paulin is an independent family project initiated by Maia Paulin, the designer’s wife and creative partner for nearly forty years, to highlight the timeless dimension of his work. Now led by Alice and Benjamin, the company continues to produce a selection of pieces in accordance with Paulin’s wishes, expressed in 2008 (prior to his death in 2009), to see his most innovative creations brought to life.
With Sounds Like Paulin, the family extends his legacy, opening a new chapter that reimagines the designer’s experimental ethos. The label positions music as both a continuation and reinvention of a design language that has always sought to shape the way people live, gather and feel.