Ticket to Togo

© Ligne Roset

The year is 1973. Bright oranges and plastic are all the rage! It was in this colourful exuberance that the Togo sofa emerged, born of the imagination of Michel Ducaroy from Lyon, who was inspired by the shape “a tube of toothpaste folded in on itself”! 
Michel Ducaroy was born into a family of contemporary furniture creators in Lyon, on the 14th of November 1925. After studying at the school of fine arts in Lyon, specialising in sculpture, he started his career at the family company and then ended up in Briord, in the Ain, in 1960, where he joined the furniture company Roset. He stayed there for 26 years. Heading up the design department, he was interested in new materials (including plastics and wadding), but it was the Togo sofa, a cushion-seat that can still be found in the Ligne Roset catalogue, which earned him a place in legend and the René Gabriel innovation award.

Cushioning derrières for half a century 

The Togo certainly broke away from the conventional styles of the day. Michel Ducaroy dreamt of a soft, low three-seater sofa, where people could spend long hours chatting while comfortably seated or even sprawled out. Its structure was innovative and surprising. Made of polyester foam, the Togo had neither armrests nor a backrest and looked more like a huge folded cushion. Its characteristic seams bring to mind a wrinkly Shar Pei puppy and it takes the artisans at the factory, which is still located near Lyon, more than six hours to make a leather model.
After receiving an icy reception when it was presented at the 1973 Salon des Arts Ménagers (Household Arts Show ), the Togo went on to achieve global fame. More than 1.5 million units were sold in 72 countries.

Available in several formats and 899 shades, this cult seating item comes with a hefty price tag: around €3000 for a small sofa. You can also choose a recycled vintage model, a new service provided by the company, which is 40% less expensive.

If you’re tempted, you may be interested to know that the Togo is celebrating its half-century anniversary this spring with two completely new coverings, available as a limited edition, one created by Pierre Frey, the other by Raf Simons for Kvadrat. We wish it a happy birthday!

To test the comfort of this legend of contemporary design for yourself, make your way to the Ligne Roset outlet in Lyon