A Curated Collection Inspired by Art Deco Masterpiece Lit Soleil by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
The Muse Edit is an ongoing series of curated collections through the lens of unexpected muses—art, architecture, vintage furniture, and rare objects that shape aesthetic direction.
The Muse
Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil (Sun Bed) stands as a symbol of Art Deco’s golden age. Conceived in the 1920s and brought to life in 1930 for silent film star Jane Renouardt at her Saint-Cloud residence, this vintage piece is a cinematic installation of Macassar ebony, lacquer, and ivory inlay, crowned by a radiant sunburst headboard that redefined repose as art. Ruhlmann, often hailed as the “furniture maker of kings,” built Lit Soleil at a moment when Art Deco was at its most opulent—geometric, luminous, and unafraid of decadence. The piece captures the very essence of the movement: the allure of exotic materials, the drama of light caught on polished surfaces, the balance between architecture and ornament.
In this edit, we channel the glamor of Lit Soleil into modern objects that share its DNA. Accessories in tiger’s-eye shimmer, jewelry with sculptural geometry, silhouettes as structured as Deco architecture. Each curated object is a fragment of the sun-lit glamor Ruhlmann’s pieces embodied, reframed for contemporary living.
The Mood
This iconic bed is giving “Deco after dark,” inspiring a warm lacquered palette of coffee, cacao, and wine velvet lit by amber glints and polished gold. In this edit, we lean into Lit Soleil’s radiating geometry with arcs, fans, and crescents translated into curved wedges, rounded clutches, and sunburst-adjacent jewelry. We edited toward textures that do the talking, from lizard and tortoise to horn and ebony with brushed velvet and high-shine resin for glamor that is disciplined, not loud. Silhouettes stay sculptural and streamlined, while tiger eye tones and subtle stripes nod to Lit Soleil’s luminous headboard. The attitude feels cinematic and controlled, resulting in modern opulence with restraint. With the mood set, we move into the edit, capturing the deco after dark aesthetic with objects that carry Lit Soleil’s radiance into everyday style.
The Edit
1. THoO Crop 2017 Parfum
The THoO Crop 2017 is a rare, numbered-edition oud blend (547 bottles) that opens with a narcotic burst of licorice and star anise, then deepens into resinous woods, agarwood, and sandalwood. Presented in a sculptural, collectible bottle, its sinuous curved lines and rich amber hue echo the flowing geometry and burnished tones of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil.
2. Khaite Colt Wedge Mules
These structured leather wedges read like wearable architecture. Their sculpted rise and burgundy depth bring Lit Soleil’s Deco geometry into motion.
3. Olympieion Earrings
These earrings by Retro Chic, an Italian jewelry house rooted in Florence’s heritage, feature a fan-stepped silhouette and mirror-bright finish that echo the radiating sunburst headboard and lacquered sheen of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil.
4. Johanna Velvet Tiger Top
This top’s velvet tiger stripes sharpen into a sleek, strapless silhouette—graphic and polished. The stripes echo the sunburst headboard of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil, translating its luminous geometry into pattern and sheen.
5. Lilu Velvet Candle
This candle is handcrafted from 100% soy wax, taking a sculptural form of two stacked spheres on a cylindrical base with a cotton-velvet finish. Its rounded, tiered silhouette and deep wine tone mirror the flowing curves and burnished warmth of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil.
6. Bottega Veneta Sardine Belt
This belt features a sculptural clasp on chocolate leather, cut with precision. The gleaming arc and clean, radiating lines recall the Lit Soleil’s sunburst focal point against dark panels.
7. Savette Sera Clutch
Made-to-order in genuine lizard with a typical 8-week production window, this clutch is an heirloom built on demand. Its compact, sculptural silhouette and dark, high-gloss scales echo the drama of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil—the sunburst headboard’s radiating geometry set against lacquered panels, now distilled to hand-held form.
8. AtPresent Pea Curve Ring
This ring features a sweeping arc of metal that echoes Deco symmetry in miniature. Its sculptural curve channels the clean geometry of Lit Soleil.
9. LES Collection Pill Case
This hand-sculpted pill case in Rajasthan is made from untouched marble. Its radiating, scalloped profile and high polish subtly echo the sunburst headboard and lacquered panels of Ruhlmann’s Lit Soleil, turning a nightstand ritual into a small ode to the bed’s luminous geometry.
10. Carrara Acetate Brush
This brush is hand-crafted in Italy with a Chocolate Carrara acetate handle and gold-finished metal bristles designed to gently massage the scalp and stimulate circulation. It’s glosssy, radiant finish resembles the dark, lacquered tones of Lit Soleil.
