The French Aesthetic – Ligne Roset & Roche Bobois

The French aesthetic evokes timeless elegance. It conjures beauty and ease. At Jean-Marc Fray, we are always searching for pieces that bring the French charm to our customers around the world. Two of our favorite contemporary brands that add function and form with their pieces are Ligne Roset and Roche Bobois. Both French brands have iconic designs that have shaped the history of French design.

The History of Ligne Roset

In 1860 Antoine Roset, a young, former waiter, opened a woodworking workshop in a small village in the Ain region of eastern France. Veuve A. Roset was the name chosen and specialized in walking sticks and parasols. Towards the end of the 19th century, as fashion and design were evolving, the company pivoted their focus towards the production of frames for chairs and stools. Antoine passed away in 1893 leaving his company to his wife Marie-Victorine and son Emile. In 1936, Roset produced its first upholstered seats, mainly in leather.

Then, ten years later they gave the company to the 3rd generation, Jean Roset, Antoine’s grandson. He played an important role in taking the Roset brand to international acclaim. In post war 1950, Jean wanted the company to meet the demands of postwar reconstruction and redirected production to developing modern, Scandinavian-inspired furniture lines suited for use in schools, universities, hospitals, and other public spaces.

The 1960’s and 1970’s presented a timely opportunity to revitalize the company by working with interior architects and designers. The company was producing more experimental designs, often utilizing Dacron foam, aimed at the residential market. Examples include Bernard Govin’s Asmara Modular Sofa (1966), as well as French designer Michel Ducaroy’s Adria Lounge (1968). The Ligne Roset brand became official in 1973 with the very first store opening, alongside the launch of Michel Ducaroy’s  pillow-like Togo Sofa , a timeless, iconic piece that continues to draw attention by designers and customers alike.

 

A family company from the start, today Ligne Roset is still headquartered in France. There are approximately 200 stores and can be found in over 1,000 additional retail distributors around the world.

At Jean-Marc Fray, we especially love the vintage Togo sofa and subsequently bring original mid-century Ligne Roset pieces into the gallery as often as possible.

The History of Roche Bobois

Comparatively, Roche Bobois began in the 1960′s when two competing furniture companies chose to join forces and produce the very best furniture and design for the people of France. Serendipitously meeting at the Copenhagen Furniture Fair, Francois and Philippe Roche and Patrick and Jean-Claude Chouchan teamed up to create Roche Bobois’ first catalogue. In 1961 they launched their first national advertising campaign in the magazine Elle.

Their vision continued to flourish as they opened stores worldwide throughout the second half of the 20th century. Choosing not to rely on other furniture manufacturers, Roche Bobois did everything in-house. This included working exclusively with several well known furniture designers. This gave them a vision that differentiated them from anything else on the market. It has continued to provide them with one-of-a-kind furniture to this day.

Today, Roche Bobois has over 250 stores worldwide and is an important luxury furniture brand for designers. Some of their iconic designs include the Bubble Collection by Sacha Lakic, the Aqua Table by Fabrice Berrux, and the best-selling Mahjong Collection by Hans Hopfer.

At Jean-Marc Fray, we gravitate to the quality of Roche Bobois pieces. We are happy to feature their vintage pieces in our gallery as they perfectly display the French aesthetic.

The French aesthetic evokes a specific concept for those in the design world. All of our beautiful vintage and antique items are specially chosen by Jean-Marc and Jean-Noel to bring a bit of the French life to any home. Looking for the French touch in your space? We are always happy to help you find the perfect piece. Visit Jean-Marc Fray Antiques at our gallery in Austin to explore our extensive selection of items or visit our website to see what we have currently available!