Born in Paris in 1902, Jean Royère initially established himself professionally in the import-export trade. In 1931, however, at the age of 29, he set up shop as an interior designer, learning his new trade at the cabinetmaking workshops of Paris’s Faubourg Saint-Antoine.
His first professional design commission, in 1934, was the highly celebrated fitting-out of the café Brasserie Carlton on the Champs Elysées. Thanks to this initial success and to his innovative, signature style—a combination of vivid colors, sinuous forms, and precious materials—Royère quickly established himself as a highly coveted international interior designer, fashioning lively, playful, and sophisticated rooms across Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Notable patrons included King Hussein of Jordan, the Shah of Iran, and King Farouk. Royère retired in 1972, and divided his time between France and the United States until 1980, when he definitively moved to the U.S. He lived there until his death in 1981.
