Elizabeth Garouste (French, b.1946)

Art

Who is designer Elizabeth Garouste?

Elizabeth Garouste is a French interior designer, best known for her combinations of eclectic materials, techniques, and styles. She is the daughter of famous shoe shop owners Salomon and Blima Rochline, and the sister of David Rochline, an international artist and set designer. Garouste is perhaps best known for her collaborations with Mattia Bonetti, the Swiss photographer and stylist. Their first major project was for the club Le Privilege, a now-iconic landmark that is referred to as the Studio 54 of Paris.

Bonetti and Garouste are collectively known as “the New Barbarians”thanks to their penchant for rustic, wrought-iron frames. Their pieces are often highly irregular, with metallic dressers, studded candlesticks, and black velour curtains. She won the Trophee des Femmes En Or in 1993. In 2002, Garouste went off on her own. These days she focuses on line drawings and surrealist papier-mache sculptures. These pieces have become extremely popular, and serve as an obvious progression in the artist’s work.

What kind of art does Elizabeth Garouste make?

Elizabeth Garouste is known for two different distinct phases of her career, first as a groundbreaking interior designer (making glassware, wallpaper, and other items), but also as a painter and paper mache sculptor. Her interior design work was a groundbreaking part of 80s European culture. Mixing wild color combinations, quirky accent choices, and wrought-iron frames, Garouste’s eclectic tastes led to widespread popularity -- especially her collaborations with long-time partner, Mattia Bonetti. Some of her most famous clients include fashion designer Christian Lacroix and Christian Louboutin.

How did Elizabeth Garouste get started?

Elizabeth was born in Paris in 1946. The daughter of Russian immigrants, Garouste quickly became enamored with painting and art. She studied at the Academie Charpentier, then the Ecole Camondo where she majored in interior design. Initially, she worked as a set designer for Jean Michel Ribes before partnering with Mattia Bonetti to design furniture and other home goods. Their designs became extremely popular in the 1980s and notably appeared at the Pompidou and the Guggenheim Museum.

How much are Elizabeth Garouste pieces worth?

Elizabeth Garouste pieces can be worth anywhere from $3000 to over $40,000 for a major piece. The most ever paid for an Elizabeth Garouste piece at Heritage Auctions is $40,000 for the item, Ring Table (1999) which sold on October 21st, 2018.

Other notable pieces include Dawson Floor Lamp (1990) which sold for $30,000 on April 20th, 2020 and A Pair of Day and Night Chairs (1988) which sold on the same day.

Where to buy Elizabeth Garouste designs for sale?

See the furniture and designs for sale below. Why buy from Heritage? Art buyers feel confident because our experts know the market and put careful valuations on artwork for sale. We make the bidding process easier to help you expand your art collection.

How to value Elizabeth Garouste furniture?

The best way to value art is to compare past auction prices for similar works. View past sale prices below. When you’re ready to sell, contact Heritage Auctions to request an auction estimate of the likely selling price at auction. If you need a formal written appraisal for estate planning or insurance, please contact our Appraisal Services Department.