André Dubreuil

Born in 1951 in Lyon, André Dubreuil is a leading figure in contemporary decorative arts. At the age of 18 he departed his native France and moved to London where he was educated at the Inchbald School of Design. Following a brief stint living in Paris he returned to London establishing himself as an antique dealer, selling classical English furniture, and later as a trompe l’oeil painter. André stumbled into furniture design by chance having been invited by Chantal Coady to decorate the interior of her Rococo chocolate boutique. Whilst on the job he met Tom Dixon who needed a helping hand welding a chandelier he’d made. From there he was hooked.
 
André initially developed an affinity for working with the concrete reinforcement rods, shaping the steel bar into organic furniture without resorting to pen and paper first. His now famous Spine chair seemed to arrive fully formed in 1986, without any design precedence; other iconic designs followed in quick succession. For a short time he shared a studio with Tom Dixon and Mark Brazier-Jones, before embarking on his own.
 
Dubreuil now works with a much broader and richer range of materials employing wood, glass, porcelain and cloisonné to sumptuous effect. His work has been exhibited internationally finding appreciative audiences on a global stage, and many of his creations are housed in the permanent collections of major museums, including the Victoria and Albert in London.