Shuffled Pieces
Get to know more about the Mah Jong sofa, Roche Bobois’ quintessential furniture piece since 1971
Created by the painter, sculptor, and designer Hans Hopfer, the Mah Jong sofa is indisputably Roche Bobois’ signature piece—a sofa designed with function and form in mind. Allowing limitless options with three basic elements that can be combined or stacked, the Mah Jong encourages experimentation and breaks the rules of formal living. It truly reflects the nonconformist era in which it was born—the vibrant 70s. Its versatility enables it to simultaneously become a sofa, an armchair, a cosy lounge bed, or simply a focal point in any room as it draws the eye to its unique composition and stunning upholstery variations.
Through the years, the French furniture brand has collaborated with design houses to “dress” special editions of the Mah Jong, highlighting a new, fascinating facet of the bestselling sofa without changing its core design. These houses include Kenzo Takada, Missoni Home, and Jean Paul Gautier.
Kenzo Takada’s take is inspired by the ancient kimonos used in the Noh Theatre, a form of theatre involving music, dance, and drama that originated in Japan in the 14th century. The idea is to reinterpret the patterns and colours to create fine, seamless harmonies symbolising the three times of the day: Asa (morning), Hiru (midday), and Yoru (evening).
Missoni Home—known for chevron stripes, refined fabrics, floral, as well as graphic patterns—on the other hand, lends elegance in true Italian fashion. Likewise, the French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier has dressed up the Mah Jong by incorporating his very own creative stamp—a striped sailor-style costume, as well as poetic and graphic motifs.
Each Mah Jong sofa is painstakingly handmade in a dedicated workshop in Italy using techniques similar to those of the haute couture fashion industry. Every component is individually handsewn. By virtue of the exclusive fabrics used and the unique composition, each piece becomes a oneof-a-kind creation. In a unique way, Roche Bobois’ Mah Jong sofa has changed the landscape of home design, offering a different approach to the way living spaces are arranged and used.
THE MAH JONG ENCOURAGES EXPERIMENTATION
AND BREAKS THE RULES OF FORMAL LIVING