Our Lyon ateliers had the privilege of taking over India Mahdavi’s Project Room for the ephemeral exhibition “Peggy's Room,” presenting Gabrielle Greiss’s “For You I Am” collection.
The scenography takes the form of a life-size jewelry box, in which our upholsterers meticulously installed wall upholstery using the precious Chroma velvet from Pierre Frey's collection. Much more than a simple wall covering, fabric wall upholstery is true master craftsmanship: seaming the fabric widths, measuring, cutting, and securing poplar wood furring strips to frame the walls, and padding with fleece lining, meticulous prep work required to install the fabric under optimal conditions.
Within this cozy setting, Gabrielle Greiss’s work engages in a dialogue with an eclectic curation of contemporary furniture and vintage pieces, including contributions from Wendy Andreu, Sophie Dries, Louis Lefebvre, and Yves Salomon, among others. The result is an intimate, layered, and playful interior where jewelry, furniture, and objects coexist seamlessly without rigid boundaries.
In this setting, we had the opportunity to speak with India Mahdavi about the project. An internationally renowned architect, designer, and scenographer based in Paris, she founded her multidisciplinary studio in 2000. Of Iranian and Egyptian heritage, she often describes herself as “polyglot and polychrome.” Her multicultural, cosmopolitan background lies at the core of her creative philosophy, giving rise to an intercultural art de vivre that has become her signature.
Could you introduce the concept behind this event?
Before discussing the event itself, I’d like to say a few words about the Project Room, the venue hosting it. I envisioned it as a hybrid space—somewhere between a gallery and an exhibition venue, but also as a hub for dialogue and open expression. Its programming follows its own rhythm, aligning with major moments in Paris’s art, design, and photography scenes.
I invite emerging designers, such as Espace Aygo; international galleries with limited visibility in Paris, like AGO Projects or Carwan; and artists, such as photographers Inez and Vinoodh. The Project Room expands upon the creative footprint I’ve developed along Rue Las Cases. It allows me to shift from the role of author to that of host: it’s an extension of my curiosity rather than purely my aesthetic. I love the idea of a micro-culture unfolding on a single street.
In that spirit, for Art Basel 2026, I invited jewelry designer Gabrielle Greiss. Together, we reimagined Peggy Guggenheim’s bedroom for 2026: an homage to the legendary patron of the arts, whose jewelry once adorned her room around a headboard designed by Calder.
Why choose to incorporate wall upholstery into this project?
The Project Room features a massive street-facing window: it’s fully on display and offers very little privacy. For Peggy’s Room, we needed to give it a residential feel and move away from traditional gallery codes. Velvet wall upholstery emerged as the natural choice, offering both warmth and intimacy.
Velvet is also the quintessential lining for jewelry cases. The wall hanging effectively transforms the entire room into a large-scale jewelry box: it’s not merely decorative, it creates a tailored showcase for Gabrielle’s pieces.
The blue tone comes from Chroma, a collection I designed for Pierre Frey, whom I warmly thank for their generous support of this project.
What made you want to collaborate with our workshops?
I have worked with Ateliers Jouffre for about twenty years. They have established themselves as masters of upholstery, both in France and the United States. I deeply admire their exceptional savoir-faire and professionalism, alongside their steadfast commitment to supporting creativity. They are always on hand to devise practical, tailored solutions that serve the vision of each project. Partnering with them on this was second nature.
