Suzanne Lalique may not have been permitted to enter his workshop or studio, but both her opinion and creativity were most certainly sought by her father René. He bought her watercolours and encouraged her to critique his pieces.
Born in 1892 to Alice Ledru, Suzanne was 8 years older than her brother Marc. In 1926, René Lalique & Cie became a company that incorporated Suzanne and Marc, and Suzanne’s husband Paul Haviland. In 2009 Lalique-Haviland-Burty: Portraits de Famille was published by Suzanne’s daughter Nicole Maritch-Haviland and Catherine de Léobardy, providing some useful insights into the relationship between René and his daughter Suzanne.
Then in 2012, the Musée Lalique held an exhibition dedicated to Suzanne, looking at the breadth of her creativity. However, besides these two points of reference, there does not seem to be much more information available, which leaves a huge number of questions for anyone curious to learn more.
Her input into glass designs seems to have been from 1910 to 1929, after which she worked more on Limoges porcelain designs for her husband following the financial crash. Like her father, Suzanne was inspired by nature. Stylistically her designs
were Art Deco, employing geometric shapes and simplified forms, and drawing on the art of other cultures.
Her husband Paul Haviland, who she married in 1917, had a collection of Aztec works from Mexico, and their influence can be seen in the Lagamar and Montargis vases. Another family member had a collection of African artifacts, which likely influenced the design of the Grenade and Laiterons vases.
