In the Frame: Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays

The co-founder of designer furniture company Invisible Collection shares what’s been inspiring her lately — and selects her favorite lots from Christie’s Luxury and Design sales

22 June 2026

Portrait by Rodrigo Rize, courtesy Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays

What work of art made you see things differently?

Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays: ‘I would actually choose a writer rather than a work of art: Stefan Zweig, from whom I borrowed the title of one of his novellas, The Invisible Collection. Every year I reread The World of Yesterday. It reminds me of the fragility of civilizations, culture, and everything we take for granted. Yet despite that lesson, I remain deeply optimistic and firmly focused on the future.’

Which artist or designer from history do you wish you knew more about?

IDM: ‘How could I possibly choose just one? Raphael, certainly. Jacques Doucet, the couturier and collector whose legendary collection shaped so much of French taste. And Jean-Michel Frank, whose timeless restraint and sophistication continue to influence the way we think about interiors today.’

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints (circa 1504), in Raphael: Sublime Poetry, open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York through June 28, 2026. Photo courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art

What are you working on currently?

IDM: ‘I’m putting the finishing touches on two penthouses atop the Steinway Tower, 400 meters above Central Park. I founded Invisible Collection precisely for this kind of project: to curate an entire home around an aesthetic vision that is uniquely ours and has become our signature. I like to think that, through our galleries — both online and physical — and our residences, we carry forward the spirit of the great ensembliers of the Art Deco era, seeking out the finest designers and artisans and curating their exceptional work into warm, sophisticated interiors. These two penthouses, filled with bespoke, collectible designs, embody this vision.’

The Penthouse at Steinway Tower, which rises eighty-four stories above Central Park in a neo-Art Deco style. Photo: Courtesy Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays

In your eyes, what makes a house a home?

IDM: ‘Books, without question. I have moved many times and always with excitement, but unpacking my books — and buying new ones, whether at Galignani or 7L — remains one of life’s greatest pleasures. Reading is also the favourite pastime of my grandchildren, aged two, four and six, which gives me enormous joy. A home is built around stories, memories and curiosity, and books embody all three.’

What are you reading currently?

IDM: ‘White Holes by Carlo Rovelli, Strangers by Belle Burden, and Louis Benech’s beautiful book about twelve of his most recent gardens around the world.’

Strangers by Belle Burden, published by Dial Press

The Invisible Collection was printed originally in the Berlin newspaper Vossische Zeitung on 31 May 1925

What ritual or routine keeps you going?

IDM: ‘I travel a great deal, which requires discipline above all else. My daily ritual is to speak with my grown-up children, who live between Paris and New York, and to read the press every morning. I like to start the day with analysis and perspective rather than simply reacting to the news cycle. If I can also fit in a walk-through whichever city I happen to be in, a few minutes browsing in a bookshop, and a cup of tea somewhere beautiful, then that is perfection.’

The North view from Steinway Tower, overlooking Central Park. Photo: Courtesy Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays

Café de Flore, in Paris’ 6th arrondissment. Photo: Courtesy Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays

Where will you travel this summer, if at all?

IDM: ‘I dream of going to Panarea and Patmos. Both islands seem to offer that rare combination of beauty, simplicity, and distance from the noise of the world.’

Your favourite view, anywhere in the world?

IDM: ‘The sea viewed from an island, accompanied by the sound of waves. I never tire of it.’

Most memorable art or design show you’ve seen in the past year?

IDM: ‘It’s all about the centenary of Art Deco. In Paris, we all made a special effort to celebrate its legacy, influence, and the cultural continuity between that extraordinary era and the present day. I particularly loved Modernité en Héritage at Christie’s Paris, and the way it beautifully highlighted the international influence of the decorative arts and the lasting foundations that period established for contemporary designers. I also greatly enjoyed “Period Rooms of the Future” at Féau Boiseries, where the cultural continuity I’m talking about was on full display, as magnificent boiseries and décors from the 1920s and 1930s were set in dialogue with contemporary furniture. Full disclosure: I might be slightly biased, as Invisible Collection co-curated the exhibition...’

Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), 'Flambeau' Table Lamp, Grand Modèle, designed circa 1934. 26 ½ in. (67.3 cm) high, 14 in. (35.5 cm) diameter of shade. Sold for $406,400 in Design on 9 June 2026 at Christie’s in New York

Cartier art deco emerald bead, seed pearl and diamond necklace, c. 1925. Sold for $495,300 in Magnificent Jewels featuring the Azure Blue on 8 June 2026 at Christie’s in New York

What are your top picks from Christie’s right now?

IDM: In terms of design, I love this Japanese screen painting, and the bronze Alberto Giacometti lamp is also a gem. I’m particularly intrigued by this Pierre Legrain piece — Legrain was an expert bookbinder, and the clean lines of his furniture call to mind the materials and forms used in his trade. I also always keep an eye on jewellery: this diamond bracelet with thirty emerald-cut diamonds is stunning, and I love the color in this Cartier Art Deco emerald necklace.