Jean Gillon

Jean Gillon was born in 1919 in Iasi, Romania. He earned degrees in Architecture and Fine Arts from the National University in his hometown and pursued further studies at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna and the School of Arts and Crafts in Leeds, where he later became a visiting professor.

In 1956, with a strong portfolio already established, he moved to São Paulo, where he worked across three main fields: interior architecture, visual arts, and furniture design.

In architecture, he gained prominence in the hospitality sector, designing luxury hotels across Brazil, along with various residential and commercial projects. As an artist, he became known for his unique tapestries, often based on gouache drawings and executed using various handcrafted techniques.

Gillon's journey into furniture design began as a response to client needs within his architectural work. In 1961, he founded his first factory, Cidam, followed by WoodArt, where he created entire lines of furniture crafted in jacaranda wood, leather, and upholstery. A successful entrepreneur, he expanded into the international market, exporting to more than twenty countries and partnering with companies such as MTM – Indústria de Móveis Village, Italma, and Probel.

In 1991, his Jangada armchair received an honorable mention at the Movesp Award. The following year, he was named Professional of the Year by the Brazilian Association of Interior Architects and Decorators. Jean Gillon passed away in 2007, in São Paulo.

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