PARIS.- From January 14 to 28, 2026, Christie's will host kreo: Icons of 21st century design – an exhibition bringing together major works produced by the renowned Galerie Kreo over the last three decades.

Founded in 1999 by Clémence and Didier Krzentowski, and directed today together with their daughter Clara, Galerie kreo has established itself as a true laboratory of design – a place of experimentation and freedom, where designers find the space to explore and push the boundaries of their discipline. Over time, the gallery has produced and exhibited works that have since entered the canon of contemporary design, many of which have been added to the permanent collections of international museums. The exhibition brings together a constellation of these historic and iconic pieces from Marc Newson, Hella Jongerius, Jasper Morrison, Konstantin Grcic, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Pierre Charpin, Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, among others. Together, they paint a portrait of the creativity and dialogue of those who shaped the evolution of design at the turn of the 21st century.

By hosting this exhibition of revolutionary designers via their historic gallery, Christie's is helping to promote, defend and perpetuate the work of these designers.

Flavien Gaillard, Head of Design, Europe at Christie's notes: We are delighted to present the icons of the 21st century, championed with such passion by Clémence and Didier Krzentowski. The research they conducted and the exhibitions they developed have given contemporary design extraordinary visibility. All international collectors with an appreciation for the art of living in the 20th and 21st centuries own one or more of these works.”

Marc Newson remarks: “I don't think you can really underestimate the importance of Didier. He has been instrumental in the careers of many designers, including mine, with his gallery giving us the opportunity to work outside of strictly commercial or industrial projects. In many ways, he embodies what is known as a patron. Didier has a freshness of vision and finds such joy in his métier – something that first struck me when I met him over 30 years ago and has not changed at all.”

This spirit of patronage has attracted both creators and collectors alike. Since its early days, François Pinault has followed the work of many artists represented by the gallery, as have Marcel Brient, a remarkable collector, as well as Azzedine Alaïa and Karl Lagerfeld – the latter having more than 250 kreo pieces in his personal collection. So many unique perspectives for whom the gallery has become a point of reference in the art world, a place where design asserts itself with strength and accuracy.

Kreo: Icons of 21st century design pays tribute to works born of freedom, research and time – conditions that have become rare in an increasingly fast-paced creative landscape. By bringing them together, Christie's Paris offers a moment to pause and reflect on design that, quietly and enduringly, has defined the present while pointing toward the future.

List of designers: Virgil Abloh, Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, Guillaume Bardet, François Bauchet, Ronan Bouroullec, Erwan Bouroullec, Marco Campardo, Pierre Charpin, Doshi Levien, Jean-Baptiste Fastrez, Front, Naoto Fukasawa, Konstantin Grcic, Jaime Hayon, Hella Jongerius, Alessandro Mendini, Jasper Morrison, Muller Van Severen, Marc Newson, Gino Sarfatti, Jerszy Seymour, Brynjar Sigurdarson, Studio Weiki Somers, Maarten Van Severen.

Recognized as one of the most influential design galleries on the international scene, the gallery defines itself as a “research laboratory” dedicated to the production of contemporary pieces in limited series, created exclusively for the gallery by leading contemporary designers, from Virgil Abloh to Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, Pierre Charpin, Front, Naoto Fukasawa, Jaime Hayon, Konstantin Grcic, Hella Jongerius, Alessandro Mendini, Jasper Morrison, Marc Newson, and Studio Wieki Somers.

The works of these designers are part of the most important private and public collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Center Pompidou in Paris, the V&A in London, and the San Francisco Museum of Art…

Alongside its contemporary production, the gallery also presents a selection of exceptional French and Italian lighting fixtures from the 20th century.