Hilton McConnico, artist and set designer, dies in Paris

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jan 31, 2018

Hilton McConnico, the noted artist and set designer who collaborated with a series of major fashion houses, has died in Paris. He was 74. McConnico, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, passed away in the company of close friends on January 29.

 
A noted aesthete, the Tennessee-born McConnico was probably most famous for his set direction of some 20 feature films, most notably 'Diva', Jean-Jacques Beineix’s 1981 César-award-winning stylish thriller.
 
In his earlier days in Paris, he worked in fashion for both Yves Saint Laurent and Ted Lapidus; before becoming better known for his artistic collaborations. Several pieces from his Cactus collection for Daum crystal-maker were presented by French president François Mitterrand to US president George H. W. Bush as a gift of state. McConnico was also the first American to have his work inducted into the Louvre’s Decorative Arts collection.

Latterly, he collaborated with Hermès on the brand’s museum in Tokyo, inside the Renzo Piano-designed building in Ginza. In 2005, he was awarded the  Talent de l’Audace prize from the Sommet du Luxe et de la Création, in recognition of an outstanding career.
 
His funeral service is scheduled for 3.30 PM Tuesday, February 6 at the Grand Coupole of Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.