Yves Saint Laurent–Owned Mirrors Shatter Record, Selling for $33.5 Million
1April 24, 2026
A unique assemblage of fifteen mirrors that were custom-made for the legendary fashion designer Yves St. Laurent and his onetime lover and brand co-founder Pierre Bergé sold at auction at Sotheby’s for $33.5 million this week.
The bronze and copper mirrors were crafted by French sculptor and designer Claude Lalanne, and this new high auction going price sets a new record for the artist. Lalanne meticulously ringed the mirrors with vine-like bronze tendrils, offsetting them with electroplated leaves.
The series of mirrors were displayed in St. Laurent and Bergé’s Paris apartment and were purchased this year from the collection of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg, who themselves bought the ensemble in 2009.
“Outside of Versailles, it is arguably the most important ensemble of mirrors ever conceived as a unified interior,” Edith Dicconson, founder of Dicconson Fine Art Advisory, told the Art Newspaper. The $33.5 million going price eclipses the auction record for Francois-Xavier Lalanne, Claude’s husband and frequent collaborator. “I wouldn’t characterize this as a broader market shift but rather a leveling of the playing field,” Dicconson continued.
“Historically, Francois-Xavier has achieved higher prices largely due to the scale of his works, while Claude’s are often more intimate. In this case, we are looking at a truly monumental work by Claude, which naturally shifts the dynamic.”