Samuel Coriat

Furniture designer and publisher, founder of Artelano and Coedition

A French furniture designer and publisher, Samuel Coriat built his career on a singular conviction: that a piece of furniture must unite precision of design, manufacturing excellence, and the pleasure of everyday use. As the founder of Artelano and later co-founder of Coedition, he has supported several generations of designers in developing their creations. Following a background in communications at Havas, he turned to furniture and founded Artelano in 1973. He initially designed pieces tailored to everyday needs, notably convertible consoles and media storage units. Glass, metal, and lacquered wood served a restrained aesthetic, mindful of proportions. He co-designed several of these early models with Annick Coriat, such as the chaise longue in black metal and leather produced circa 1986. His practice took on a new dimension when he opened Artelano’s collections to other designers. Pascal Mourgue was among his earliest collaborators, followed notably by Olivier Gagnère, Christophe Pillet, Piero Lissoni, and Patricia Urquiola. Through these partnerships, Samuel Coriat affirmed his role as a design publisher: identifying a vision, guiding its development, and providing the means to bring it to life. In 2014, he founded Coedition with his son Charles. This new enterprise continued the dialogue between international creation and Italian craftsmanship, bringing designers and artisans together from the very inception of each piece. From the earliest Artelano furniture to the Coedition collections, his career reflects a constant dedication to simplicity of form and impeccable execution. His contribution to design lies as much in his own creations as in the creative collaborations he brought into being.