Robert Goossens was born in 1927 in Paris to a bronze founder father and a mother who worked in a theater. In 1942, he began his apprenticeship as a goldsmith-case maker at Bauer, a workshop that worked for the House of Cartier. His training continued at the Lefèvre workshop, still for Cartier. In 1949, having become an independent craftsman, he carried out highly varied orders that required great mastery of different techniques, such as marquetry on ivory, tortoiseshell or mother-of-pearl, woodwork, leatherwork, sculpture, painting, and enameling.

During this period, it was Max Boinet, an insider in the Paris fashion world, who introduced the young Goossens to the world of haute couture (Dior, Balmain, Dessès, Rochas, Fath, Balenciaga, Castillo, Schiaparelli). However, Robert Goossens remained fascinated by antique jewelry, holding great admiration for animal-themed jeweler Sterlé and especially for the Boivin House. In 1953, while still maintaining his status as an independent craftsman, Mr. Degorce asked Robert Goossens to assist him. The 75-year-old master craftsman then created jewelry embellished with pearls, rhinestones, rubies, and sapphires for Mademoiselle Gabrielle Chanel. Despite coming from the entirely different craft of goldsmith, Goossens quickly learned. He indirectly began working for Chanel and gave free rein to his creativity. He designed jewelry inspired by barbaric, Visigothic or Etruscan styles; he conceived snake bracelets with an interior spring system. For Hermès, he created hedgehogs, horseshoes, and stirrups in gold and silver. His dream was becoming true: to evolve alongside the great names in this universe.

The encounter with Chanel

Following the passing of Mr. Degorce in 1957, Robert Goossens was summoned to Chanel by his assistant, Mademoiselle Michelle. Coco crossed paths with him in the hallway. He introduced himself. She looked at him and said, “I trust true professionals.” This brief encounter marked the beginning of an exciting collaboration that lasted until the passing of Gabrielle Chanel. One day, Goossens presented her with a collection of jewelry inspired by antiquity. “They are magnificent,” she said, “and if we are questioned, we will say they come from excavations on Rue Cambon!” Mademoiselle wanted more! Not just jewelry, but also objects, mirrors, chandeliers, and furniture adorned with pyrites, rock crystal, and coral. These were all symbols cherished by Coco Chanel, much like the ear of wheat symbolizing prosperity and happiness in her house. It was during this collaboration, in the late 1950s, that Goossens expanded his production into decorative arts, which he referred to as “jewelry of interiors.”
Goossens cast, chiseled, and gilded pieces that he signed as either Robert Goossens or Robert du Marais, a reference to the Parisian neighborhood he cherished. His first “jewelry for home,” true interior ornaments, were the “Wheat Sheaf Table” and the “Water Lily Guéridon.” He developed these motifs using coral, seashells, hearts, chains and foliage, adorning gilded bronze with rock crystal. “When it comes to jewelry and decorative objects, I believe that, professionally speaking, I am now the sole witness to Mademoiselle Chanel’s creative spirit.” Between 1954 and 1971, he invented an incredible vocabulary of forms that left a mark on decorative arts.

The collaboration with Yves Saint-Laurent

Approached by House of Saint-Laurent, which sought to recruit the “Monsieur Bijou” of Chanel, he began working with the brand in 1974 in collaboration with Loulou de la Falaise, who suggested new sources of inspiration. Robert Goossens researched and envisioned a line of African-inspired jewelry while continuing to create his beloved motifs on his favorite interior pieces: lamps, tables, and mirrors, not to mention smaller decorative objects. He developed a relationship of trust and friendship with Yves Saint-Laurent and created highly limited editions of small “jewels for interiors” at his request, meant to be gifted to his close ones, such as the gilded bronze and rock crystal photo frames produced in 1980. The collaboration was highly successful until 2000. At the beginning of the 21st century, Robert Goossens sold his company to Chanel and enjoyed an “active” retirement, as he liked to put it. He sponsored the “Les Paruriers” creation workshop, continuing to dream of new projects: establishing a training workshop for young people to provide them with an extraordinary experience, even playfully remarking, “I learned my job in the streets.”

Before his death in 2016, Robert Goossens handed over all his pieces to his longtime friend and art dealer, Philippe Rapin, who continues to promote the artistic legacy of this iconic creator. As the official expert on Goossens’ decorative work, the gallery owner exhibits the original creations of this unique artist, dating from the 1970s to the 1990s, exclusively at Maison Rapin.