Villa E-1027, Côte d'Azur

Under the sunlight of the Italian and French Rivieras, the Enjoyable Outdoors Collection reveals itself. Expressed in a language of colour and matter, freedom and functionality, it is here that these textiles find their natural environment: colourful deckchairs on the beach; fabrics gently laid down on the rocks; striped curtains on the sea-facing façade of Villa E-1027. Built in 1926 by architect and designer Eileen Gray, a non-conformist spirit, this “house by the sea” was one of the earliest architectural projects to exploit the vocabulary of the Modern Movement. Here, the versatility of outdoor fabrics recalls the designer's functional research, reconciling the beautiful and the useful. The landscape and Gray’s pioneering design also fascinated Le Corbusier, who built his little refuge, Le Cabanon, right beside the villa. The deep colours of his paintings merge with the intense hues of the Mediterranean and the lively shades of the fabrics to convey the pleasure of a life by the sea.