Maria Pergay (1930–2023) was a French designer known for her innovative use of materials, particularly stainless steel. Starting her career in 1956, she initially designed metal elements for Paris boutiques before experimenting with silver, later creating distinctive, contemporary pieces. Her work, often inspired by antiquity and Japanese art, defied the norms of her male-dominated field. Despite lacking formal training, she pursued design on her own terms, rejecting labels like “artist” or “designer” and instead describing herself as a “captor of ideas.” Pergay’s legacy is defined by her pioneering approach to furniture design, where she continually pushed the limits of materials and forms.