Born in Paris, Claude Lalanne studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École des Arts Appliqués. She gained international recognition alongside her husband, François-Xavier Lalanne, with whom she formed the collaborative artistic duo known as Les Lalanne. Their work defied traditional categorization, blending fine art sculpture with utilitarian design.

Lalanne is best known for her intricate, botanical-themed sculptures, frequently casting organic elements like leaves, branches, and flowers in copper, bronze, and silver. Her process often involved electroplating real plant matter to create delicate, highly detailed surfaces that blurred the line between nature and artifice.

Her work remains highly sought after in the secondary market, with her copper sculptures consistently achieving significant results at major auction houses. Recent sales at Artcurial in Paris underscore her enduring influence and the continued demand for her distinctively whimsical and technically precise sculptural practice.