Janine Abraham and Dirk Jan Rol, both born in 1929, met at the École des Arts Décoratifs in 1955, in Jacques Dumond's workshops. From their personal and professional partnership emerged pieces that embodied the spirit of modernity. In the early 1950s, Janine Abraham studied at the Beaux-Arts School and then at the École Camondo. She followed in the footsteps of prominent French designers like Pierre Paulin, who was also a graduate of this school. These creators shared a refined sense of taste and design elegance. Dirk Jan, on the other hand, became familiar with furniture manufacturing techniques in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine before taking courses at the École des Arts Décoratifs. The couple established their agency in 1957, which had a dual focus: one part was dedicated to creating designs for mass production, while the other focused on interior architecture for a clientele of industrialists and merchants. This "two-headed decorator" revealed an incredible creative harmony. While Dirk Jan Rol concentrated on the structural and architectural aspects, Janine Abraham unleashed her imagination, offering a playful and decorative touch. Balancing rigorous design with fluid drawing, their creations continuously earned awards. Just one year after their first exhibition at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs in 1956, they won a silver medal at the Milan Triennale for a chair featuring a sophisticated aluminum folding technique. Their rattan creations, reminiscent of traditional craftsmanship, encapsulated the essence of their vision: extravagant volumes contrasted with the purity of metal structures.

Source: Les décorateurs des années 50 by Patrick Favardin, Norma Editions, Paris, 2002, p. 170.