Adrien & Frida Audoux & Minet

Adrien Audoux and Frida Minnet, a dynamic French designer duo, flourished in the realm of Modernist design throughout the 1940s and 50s. Their design philosophy centered around embracing novel, attainable materials and technologies, reflecting the essence of contemporary living. Embracing the principles of the Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM), founded in 1929 by a cadre of Modernist innovators like Charlotte Perriand, Francis Jourdain, Louis Sognot, and Pierre Chareau, they sought to diverge from the design ethos of the Societé des Artistes Decorateurs (SAD).
Originally members of the SAD, the UAM designers rebelled against its tendency to cater exclusively to Parisian elites, epitomized by figures such as Follot, Dufrene, and Herbst, who crafted opulent pieces for a select clientele.
Audoux Minnet’s imaginative and resourceful use of materials, including rope and tubular metal, revolutionized design, offering an inclusive aesthetic accessible to a wider audience. Their signature style emerged through simple frames adorned with woven abaca (hemp rope). Operating a retail space in Golfe-Juan, a picturesque Provencal coastal town adjacent to Vallauris, they found themselves amidst a hub of artistic energy, coinciding with Picasso’s presence in the area. This vibrant locale attracted affluent travelers with an appetite for innovative design, cementing Audoux Minnet’s reputation as pioneers of accessible Modernist aesthetics.