Roche Bobois: Designer Furniture

A fruitful encounter

It all began in the early 1950s: Jacques Roche bought the famous Alexandre Dumas theater in the heart of Paris and opened his business there. Together with his sons Philippe and François, he sold furniture reminiscent of works by Pierre Paulin, Marc Berthier and Minvielle. At an exhibition of Scandinavian furniture in Copenhagen, the Roche sons met Patrick and Jean-Claude Chouchan, two brothers also in the business of fine furniture and on the road for their family business (“Au Beau Bois”). The four of them hit it off. Together they created a catalog of special designer furniture and launched an advertising campaign in Elle magazine. This was the first step towards today’s Roche Bobois company.

Avant-garde furniture designers

Today, the French furniture designer is one of the most famous in the world. The incomparable collections are created in collaboration with great personalities. The “Profile” lounge chair is timeless and simple, the gentle curves fit together perfectly. The work from the “Les Nouveaux Classiques” line was created by designer Roberto Tapinassi and architect Maurizio Manzoni. The matching “Croissant” cocktail table by artist Bina Baitel is also a “new classic”: The softness of the round shape meets the hardness of marble and steel. Stephen Burks, the exceptional American talent in industrial design, collaborated with Roche Bobois on the creation of the “Traveler Collection” with several lines: You will find cocktail tables, sofas or armchairs, reflecting historical and cultural identities under “Traveler”, “Traveler Corde”, “Traveler American”.

An icon among icons

Among the great architects, artists and designers who create furniture for Roche Bobois, one name in particular stands out: Hans Hopfer. The painter, sculptor and designer created one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in the Roche Bobois collection more than 50 years ago: Mah Jong, the sofa that adapts to every need. It consists of three simple elements that can be positioned and combined in various ways, transforming the designer sofa into a chaise longue, bench or bed – art, style and convenience in one.

Furthermore, we highly recommend to discover the modern and unique design sofas of Sacha Lakic, a designer with a passion for high-tech design. One of those high-tech sofas, called Bubble, is an homage to the balance between innovation, funcionality and emotions. 

Inspiration for the anniversary

The year before last, the Mah Jong cult sofa turned 50 years old – an occasion on which Roche Bobois honored the work of Hans Hopfer: French designer Jean Paul Gaultier and Kenzo Takada dressed the Mah Jong in new fabrics. It is artfully printed in unique color combinations, with graphic elements and harmonious patterns. The Missoni Home brand’s zigzag stripes also gave a new rhythm to the design. As always, “Roche Bobois” pushes the limits and seeks innovation here. Be inspired by the artistic interpretations and discover more Mah Jong compositions as well as desks, beds, rugs or outdoor furniture in unique designs.