American Gothic

Designer Rick Owens moved from California to Paris a decade ago, bringing his signature blend of glamour and grunge to the namesake fashion and furniture lines he launched there—and inspiring legions of fans and imitators. An exclusive look inside his Paris home. (Photography by François Halard)

Designer Rick Owens's home office in Paris—formerly the office of Francois Mitterrand when the building served as the headquarters for the Socialist Party in France—is furnished with a taxidermic monkey and Owens's Alchemist chairs.

A sculpture by Horst Egon Kalinowski in the meeting room

A brass-topped table by Owens

 The Owens-designed bed is pine plywood covered in cashmere felt.

 RAW EDGES | Owens leans against a concrete sink in a bathroom he designed.

 HEAD SPACE | An installation of objects on Owens's desk includes a skull and Roc crystals.

A daybed covered in suede with a sable blanket, both by Owens, whose designs are sold through Salon 94 in New York City and Gallerie Pierre-Marie Giraud in Brussels.

  Owens's minimalist shower

 BOOK SMART | In the library, the couch, triangular stool and shelving are his designs

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France votes as Sarkozy era hangs by thread

Francois Hollande beat Nicolas Sarkozy 

in the first round of France's 

presidential election.

Socialist challenger Francois Hollande beat Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of France s presidential election Sunday, with a resurgent far-right emerging as possible kingmakers in the run-off.

As expected, Hollande and the wounded right-wing incumbent will now face off in the May 6 second-round, but the big surprise of the night was the record score for anti-immigrant, anti-EU flag-bearer Marine Le Pen.

Hollande won between 28 and 29 percent of the vote in the first round, to Sarkozy s 25.5 to 27, and Le Pen won a best-ever 18 to 20 percent, according to estimates compiled from ballot samples by several polling agencies.

"Firstly, I am tonight in the lead among the candidates," Hollande declared before supporters in his rural political stronghold of Tulle. "I am today the best placed candidate to become the next French president.

"The second major lesson to draw from this election -- and this is undeniable -- is that the first round was a punishment and a rejection of the incumbent," he said to cheers.

Sarkozy sought to put positive spin on the result and brandished his right-wing credentials in a clear nod to Le Pen supporters, despite being the first incumbent to lose a first round-vote in modern French history. READ MORE