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3
MODERNITY
THROUGH
THE LENS OF
FURNITURE
In 1960, Jean Roset, a furniture
maker based in Bugey, set out to
meet the demand for flexibility in
a rigid and paternalistic society.
Having managed Sièges Roset
since 1946, a three-generation
company specializing in woodwork,
Jean created new revolutionary
chairs in his manufacturing plants.
These designs offer the highest
possible level of comfort for a new
generation who enjoy reading,
listening to music, having long
conversations, dreaming and
imagining.
Out of sheer intuition, in
collaboration with designer
Michel
Ducaroy
, the
Togo
chair is born in
1973. This chair, a foam and cover
sculpture which seems almost
unbearably comfortable, will cater to
the needs of a whole generation and
beyond. To this day, more than 1.3
million
Togo
chairs have been sold.
1973 also marked the birth of Ligne
Roset, when Jean Roset decided to
invite his sons Pierre and Michel to
join in his work.
The family business has built on the
legacy of its founder, Jean Roset:
creations have always been based
on anticipating the great changes
in our society. "A good creation
reflects the spirit of the times,
”
declares Michel Roset, Chief
Creative Officer.
One of the brand’s strongest assets
is its distribution network. With
700 points of sale in more than 70
countries throughout the world,
Ligne Roset has gained a very
attractive database of experienced
feedback. Expanding its footprint to
the global market, the company has
benefited from an understanding
above all that consumers are
sensitive not only to new shapes,
but also to the furniture designer,
either
Jean Nouvel, Inga Sempé,
Philippe Nigro
or the brothers
Bouroullec
.
The desire for personalization
has prevailed throughout the last
decade. In its 2011 collection, Ligne
Roset enables its clients to become
their own interior architect, with
the
Cuts
bookcase by
Philippe
Nigro
. Combining asymmetrical
elements, the bookcase can be
tailored to suit the customer’s needs
with multiple module configurations
and different wood colors. A
taste for hand craftsmanship
has simultaneously emerged,
with people seeking a sense of
authenticity. "Our distributors really
love to visit our manufacturing
plants. They discover our expertise
and they realize that we apply our
traditional craftsmanship to a very
sophisticated material and we obtain
results whose quality match that of a
handcrafted product,
”
commented
Pierre Roset.
Marie Christine Dorner
's latest
creations illustrate this taste for
handmade and precious creations,
with finishes that can be viewed
from every possible angle. "The
Osi
desk and the
Entrèves
dressers
offer great freedom in furniture.
Harmonious from all angles, they
can be the throne of a room or
delimit spaces,
”
explains Michel
Roset. Always alert to new uses,
Michel enjoys working with a very
young team of designers, such as
Constance Frapolli
or
Amaury
Poudray
. "Newly-graduated, young
designers are in direct contact with
the new challenges. Modernity is
also achieved with modern people!"
REPORTAGE