TEFAF New York 2026 is set to feature a stronger contemporary art presence, signaling a shift in the fair's traditional focus on Old Masters and antiques. The event will expand its contemporary offerings, attracting a broader range of galleries and collectors.
A custom ensemble of 15 mirrors by Claude Lalanne sold for $33.5 million at Sotheby's New York, shattering the artist's previous auction record and setting a new global benchmark for the most expensive design work ever sold at auction. The piece, commissioned in 1974 for Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé's Paris home, far exceeded its $10-15 million estimate.
Art Deco, the French-led Modernist style that flourished between the world wars, is experiencing a centenary peak this autumn. A major exhibition at Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs, titled "1925-2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco" (through April 2026), leads institutional celebrations, with smaller shows at the Musée Zadkine and Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, and a poster survey at the London Transport Museum. The style is also prominent on the art fair circuit: Eileen Gray’s Dragon armchair (1917-19) was redisplayed at FAB Paris, Galerie Jacques Lacoste featured a Deco stand at PAD London, and focused presentations are planned at Salon Art + Design in New York. Galleries like Galerie Marcilhac are expanding, with a new Paris space and plans to showcase Deco designers at upcoming fairs.
Jeanne Lanvin, a trailblazer in 20th-century French fashion and interiors, is being honored through exhibitions that explore her legacy. The article features a conversation between Peter Copping, Lanvin's current artistic director, and Olivier Gabet, director of the Department of Objets d'Art at the Musée du Louvre. Gabet curated the exhibition "Louvre Couture" featuring 99 looks from 45 fashion houses, while Copping has drawn inspiration from the Lanvin archive and the preserved rooms of Jeanne Lanvin's apartment now on permanent display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.