Roche Bobois
Roche Bobois' Belgian branch.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Roche Bobois is a French furniture and home-accessories brand whose identity combines contemporary design, French decorative culture and a globally distributed showroom model. The company designs and retails furniture rather than operating primarily as a conventional mass manufacturer, working with external industrial partners and a large network of directly operated and franchised stores. Its offer spans living-room furniture, dining furniture, bedroom pieces, occasional tables, lighting, rugs, cushions, decorative objects and other interior accessories. The brand is positioned at the high end of the home-furnishings market, with an emphasis on recognizable design, expressive color, premium materials, made-to-order options and interior-design consultation. The business emerged from the meeting of the Roche and Chouchan families. In 1960, Philippe and François Roche joined Jean-Claude and Patrick Chouchan after encountering Scandinavian furniture at the Copenhagen Furniture Fair. They combined their names and commercial resources, developed a joint catalogue and built a franchise-based retail network. The approach was distinctive for its time because the company focused on brand development, merchandising, marketing and retail distribution while relying on manufacturing partners instead of owning a large manufacturing base. A national advertising campaign in Elle magazine in 1961 helped establish Roche Bobois as a recognizable retail name, and the company continued to use recurring collection launches and coordinated campaigns to connect its stores. Roche Bobois expanded outside France early, opening a Belgian showroom in 1965, entering Canada in 1973 and opening in the United States and Spain in 1974. The brand later developed networks in Italy, China, Japan, India, South Africa, Australia and numerous other markets. International expansion has been supported by a mix of corporate-owned stores, franchises, local partners and, in some markets, equity investments in operating companies. By the 2020s, the Group’s two principal brands, Roche Bobois and Cuir Center, operated a network of more than 300 showrooms across more than 50 countries. Roche Bobois remains the internationally oriented high-end brand within that portfolio, while Cuir Center is generally associated with a more mid-market and France-centered positioning. Design collaboration is central to the brand’s model. Roche Bobois has worked with furniture designers, architects, artists and fashion houses, including Hans Hopfer, Luigi Gorgoni, Christophe Delcourt, Sacha Lakic, Paola Navone, Cédric Ragot, Daniel Rode, Ora Ito, Jean Nouvel, Kenzo, Missoni, Jean Paul Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel, Ungaro and Christian Lacroix. This network allows the company to refresh its offer frequently and to differentiate itself from retailers that compete mainly through price or standardized ranges. The company has also used design competitions, cultural partnerships and environmentally focused collections to extend its brand narrative beyond retail. The Mah Jong modular sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer in the 1970s and marketed under its later name from 1990, is the brand’s best-known signature product. Its low, floor-level modular format can be configured in multiple ways and has become an enduring expression of Roche Bobois’s design language. Other notable products and collections include the Bubble sofa, the Legend bookcase by Christophe Delcourt, the Speed Up range by Sacha Lakic, the Comète sofa by Vladimir Kagan and collaborations using fabrics or patterns from fashion designers. The company has also highlighted eco-design, digital visualization and customization as important parts of its contemporary customer proposition. Roche Bobois SA became a publicly traded company on Euronext Paris. As of December 31, 2025, the Roche and Chouchan families together held a majority concerted position, while TXR S.r.l. was another major shareholder. In 2025, consolidated revenue was reported at approximately €402.5 million and current EBITDA at approximately €71.2 million; these figures relate to Roche Bobois SA and its Group rather than to the brand as a separately reported operating segment. In July 2026, Eric Amourdedieu was appointed chairman of the executive board and Stéphanie Berson became managing director, following the departure of Guillaume Demulier from the chairmanship. The company’s current strategy continues to emphasize international development, selective store openings, product differentiation, digital retail tools, sustainability and the promotion of a French Art de Vivre in global markets.
History
Roche Bobois developed from two Parisian furniture families whose businesses were initially separate. The Roche family’s retail activities were associated with stores created by Jacques Roche, while the Chouchan family operated a Paris furniture business known as Au Beau Bois, later shortened in commercial usage to Bobois. Philippe and François Roche eventually joined the family business and helped shape its contemporary furniture direction. Jean-Claude and Patrick Chouchan were developing their own retail activity when the two families met at the Copenhagen Furniture Fair in 1960. The Copenhagen meeting led to a commercial partnership centered on Scandinavian furniture. The four principals combined the names Roche and Bobois, assembled a joint catalogue and created a national franchise network based on retail distribution rather than ownership of manufacturing facilities. That structure enabled the company to present a coherent brand and assortment while using outside manufacturers and specialist suppliers. In 1961, Roche Bobois launched a coordinated national advertising campaign in Elle magazine. The campaign helped make the brand visible beyond individual stores and established a pattern of regular national marketing and collection communication. Internationalization began relatively early. The first showroom outside France opened in Belgium in 1965. A Canadian showroom followed in 1973, and the company entered the United States and Spain in 1974. These openings established the foundation for a long-term strategy of using showrooms in prestigious urban and design-oriented locations. The company’s international network later spread through Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Italy became an important market after the opening of the first Italian showroom in 1995, while China became a strategic market after the first showroom opened there in 2004. The product offer evolved in parallel with changing interior-design tastes. During the 1970s, television and changing domestic lifestyles increased the importance of the sofa as a central household product. Around that period, designer Hans Hopfer created a low, modular seating concept initially known as Lounge. It was later marketed as the Mah Jong sofa and became Roche Bobois’s most enduring signature design. The system’s modular cushions can be combined in different configurations and covered in varied textiles, making it both a recognizable object and a customizable platform. In the 1980s, Roche Bobois broadened its assortment through Les Provinciales, a collection inspired by traditional French furniture and aimed at consumers furnishing country homes. In the 1990s, Les Voyages responded to interest in ethnic and travel-inspired interiors. These collections showed how the company used themed ranges to address lifestyle trends while maintaining a recognizable brand architecture. The beginning of the twenty-first century brought two major changes: faster international growth and a deeper reliance on partnerships with designers and architects. Roche Bobois increasingly commissioned pieces and collections specifically for the brand. Collaborators included Iosa Ghini, Paola Navone, Vladimir Kagan, Christophe Delcourt, Sacha Lakic, Cédric Ragot, Daniel Rode, Stéphan Lebrun, Ora Ito and Jean Nouvel. Fashion houses and designers including Kenzo, Missoni, Ungaro, Jean Paul Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel and Christian Lacroix also contributed fabrics, patterns or collections. Several designs were shown in the Mobi Boom exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, reinforcing the company’s association with design culture. The international network continued to expand. In 2004, the company opened its first showroom in China and reached 100 showrooms outside France. In 2009, it introduced design competitions intended to support emerging designers. The first competition in China produced Ava, a gas-injection-moulded chair designed by a Chinese designer and manufactured by an Italian producer. Later competitions were organized in other countries, including Morocco and the United Kingdom. Philippe Roche, one of the brand’s co-founders, died in December 2011. From 2011 onward, Roche Bobois stated that it launched a new collection every six months, maintaining a relatively fast design and merchandising cycle for a high-end furniture company. In 2012, more than half of the company’s turnover was generated outside France, with North America becoming especially important. The New York Madison Avenue showroom was identified as the company’s largest store by sales at that time. In 2013, the company planned a further program of showroom openings in markets including Singapore, Colombia, Indonesia and Bulgaria. Roche Bobois also strengthened its cultural and environmental profile. In 2015, it supported the French Pavilion at the Milan Universal Exposition. It opened its first South African showroom in Cape Town in the same year, followed by a Johannesburg location in 2018. In 2016, the company developed a collection with architect Jean Nouvel and continued opening stores in markets such as Guatemala and India. Japan joined the network in 2017 with the first Tokyo showroom. That year, the brand marked the tenth anniversary of Christophe Delcourt’s Legend bookcase, described by the company as its first fully eco-designed collection. In the 2020s, Roche Bobois continued to combine physical retail with digital tools, including online and in-store visualization and product personalization. Sustainability initiatives focused on expanding eco-designed collections and reducing the environmental impact of existing products. The Group also invested in its Chinese operations and continued expanding directly operated stores in the United States, France and other markets. Its official history records the first Sydney showroom in 2025, while corporate releases describe a network of 336 stores across 54 countries as of June 30, 2026, covering both Roche Bobois and Cuir Center. Roche Bobois SA remains publicly listed, with the Roche and Chouchan families retaining a controlling concerted position. In July 2026, Eric Amourdedieu succeeded Guillaume Demulier as chairman of the executive board, with Stéphanie Berson appointed managing director.
- 2026
Leadership transition and 336-store network
[3]Eric Amourdedieu became chairman of the executive board, Stéphanie Berson became managing director, and the Group reported 336 stores in 54 countries as of June 30, 2026.
- 2025
First Sydney showroom opens
[1]The official brand history recorded the opening of Roche Bobois’s first showroom in Sydney, Australia.
- 2023
Major increase in Group-owned showrooms
[8]The Group reported 21 new directly operated showrooms and a combined network of 340 showrooms for Roche Bobois and Cuir Center.
- 2018
Roche Bobois SA becomes publicly traded
[5]Roche Bobois SA listed on Euronext Paris.
- 2017
First Japanese showroom opens in Tokyo
[7]Roche Bobois entered Japan with a Tokyo showroom and marked the tenth anniversary of the Legend bookcase.
- 2016
Jean Nouvel collection developed
[7]The brand collaborated with architect Jean Nouvel on a new collection and expanded its international showroom network.
- 2015
Milan Universal Exposition cultural partnership
[7]Roche Bobois supported the French Pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Milan and opened its first South African showroom in Cape Town.
- 2012
International sales exceed half of turnover
[7]The company reported that more than half of turnover came from outside France, with North America becoming a particularly important network.
- 2011
Philippe Roche dies
[7]Philippe Roche, a co-founder of the brand, died in December 2011.
- 2009
International design competition launched
[7]Roche Bobois introduced competitions for emerging designers; the first, held in China, resulted in the Ava chair.
Products and positioning
High-end, design-led furniture and home accessories combining French Art de Vivre, international designer collaborations, customization, premium retail service and expressive contemporary styling.
Modular sofa · 1990
Mah Jong
The Mah Jong is Roche Bobois’s signature modular sofa, created by designer Hans Hopfer in the 1970s. Its low, floor-level cushions can be arranged into sofas, corner compositions, daybeds and larger sectional layouts. The system is especially associated with extensive textile choices and collaborations with fashion houses and textile designers. Its modularity, distinctive proportions and long production history have made it one of the most recognizable products in the Roche Bobois portfolio.
Sofa and seating collection
Bubble
Bubble is a sculptural Roche Bobois seating line characterized by rounded, enveloping forms and a soft visual profile. It reflects the brand’s preference for expressive silhouettes rather than anonymous contract-style furniture. Depending on the configuration, the line can include sofas, armchairs and complementary seating elements, with upholstery and color options supporting the company’s made-to-order retail proposition.
Bookcase and storage furniture · 2007
Legend
Legend is a bookcase designed by Christophe Delcourt. The collection is recognized for its sculptural structure and for its importance in Roche Bobois’s sustainability narrative: the company described it as its first fully eco-designed collection. The bookcase combines display and storage functions with a strong architectural presence and became an important design reference for the brand.
Living-room furniture range
Speed Up
Speed Up is a collection associated with designer Sacha Lakic. The range reflects Lakic’s streamlined, contemporary approach and Roche Bobois’s use of coordinated furniture families rather than isolated products. It has been presented as part of the brand’s modern living-room and storage offer, combining functional organization with a visually dynamic design language.
Sofa
Comète
Comète is a sofa designed by Vladimir Kagan for Roche Bobois. It belongs to the company’s design-led seating heritage and uses a strongly shaped silhouette to give a conventional living-room product a more sculptural character. The model illustrates Roche Bobois’s practice of bringing internationally recognized designers into its commercial collections.
Chair · 2009
Ava
Ava was developed through Roche Bobois’s first international design competition, organized in China in 2009. Designed by a Chinese designer and produced by an Italian manufacturer using gas-injection molding, the chair represented the company’s effort to connect emerging design talent with its international sourcing and retail platform.
Furniture, textiles and accessories collaboration
Jean Paul Gaultier collections
Roche Bobois has collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier on furniture, textiles and decorative products. The partnership links the fashion house’s graphic, theatrical and couture-influenced visual language with Roche Bobois’s furniture platform. Products have included upholstered pieces, rugs and other interior elements, helping the brand communicate a fashion-oriented interpretation of French design.
Furniture and textile collaboration
Missoni Home collaborations
Missoni collaborations bring the Italian fashion and textile house’s vivid patterns and color combinations into Roche Bobois furniture and accessories. The partnership is particularly visible in upholstery and textile-led presentations, reinforcing the brand’s strategy of using fashion collaborations to refresh established furniture forms and create highly recognizable interiors.
Furniture collection · 2016
Jean Nouvel collection
Developed with architect Jean Nouvel in 2016, this collection reflects Roche Bobois’s early twenty-first-century strategy of working with architects as well as furniture specialists. The collaboration extends the brand’s design vocabulary toward architectural geometry, material contrast and integrated interior compositions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Milan Universal Exposition French Pavilion partnership
Italy · International
Roche Bobois acted as a patron of the French Pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Milan, linking the brand to French cultural representation and design diplomacy.
Outcome. The partnership strengthened the company’s association with French culture, creativity and the French Art de Vivre.
- 2009International Design Competition
China · Morocco · United Kingdom
Roche Bobois created theme-based design competitions to support emerging talent and connect designers in local markets with its international production and distribution system. The first competition in China produced the Ava chair.
Outcome. The program generated new products and reinforced the brand’s image as a design platform rather than only a furniture retailer.
- 1961First national Elle advertising campaign
France
Roche Bobois launched its first coordinated national advertising campaign in Elle magazine after creating a joint catalogue and franchise network. The campaign helped turn the partnership between the Roche and Chouchan families into a unified consumer brand.
Outcome. The campaign established a recurring national marketing model that the company continued through regular collection communications.
- Fashion and designer collaboration program
International
Across multiple collection cycles, Roche Bobois has partnered with designers, architects and fashion houses including Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Kenzo, Sonia Rykiel, Christian Lacroix, Jean Nouvel and Christophe Delcourt.
Outcome. The program created frequent product refreshes, supported premium positioning and gave the brand distinctive visual signatures in international markets.
Brand decisions
2026
Continue selective international store expansionStrategyBackground
The Group entered 2026 amid weaker consumer demand, geopolitical uncertainty and unfavorable currency effects.
Action taken
Management continued to emphasize the resilience of its retail model, international presence, store investments and selective openings while maintaining a cautious outlook.
Aftermath
The 2025 results release cited a positive net cash position and a 2026 strategy focused on mitigating volume pressure and sustaining long-term growth.
2025 consolidated revenue. €414.2 million in 2024 → €402.5 million in 2025 (Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025)
2025
Increase ownership in Shanghai Rock CastleM&ABackground
China was identified as a strategic market for the Group’s international expansion.
Action taken
Roche Bobois announced plans to raise its ownership in Shanghai Rock Castle to 67% during 2025.
Aftermath
The move increased the Group’s direct exposure to the Chinese market and supported greater control over local operations.
2025
Implement two U.S. price increasesPrice changeBackground
The company anticipated possible U.S. tariffs on European goods and unfavorable EUR/USD currency effects.
Action taken
Roche Bobois introduced one U.S. price increase in early February and a second in April 2025.
Aftermath
The measures were intended to mitigate potential tariff and currency pressure, although the cited release did not quantify their separate effect on demand or margins.
2018
List Roche Bobois SA on Euronext ParisStrategyBackground
The Group sought access to public capital markets while maintaining strong involvement by the founding families.
Action taken
Roche Bobois SA became publicly traded on Euronext Paris under ticker RBO.
Aftermath
The listing added public reporting and market oversight; as of December 31, 2025, the Roche and Chouchan families remained the controlling concerted shareholders.
2009
Launch international design competitionsStrategyBackground
Roche Bobois sought to support emerging designers and strengthen connections between its brand, local markets and international manufacturing partners.
Action taken
The company introduced competitions beginning in China and later extended the format to countries including Morocco and the United Kingdom.
Aftermath
The first competition resulted in the Ava chair and created a repeatable mechanism for discovering new design talent.
1990
Rebrand and scale the Lounge sofa as Mah JongOtherBackground
Hans Hopfer’s low modular sofa concept had been developed in the 1970s under the name Lounge.
Action taken
The company marketed the design under the name Mah Jong and developed it into a long-running signature product with extensive configuration and upholstery options.
Aftermath
Mah Jong became Roche Bobois’s best-known sofa and a durable symbol of its design-led positioning.
1960
Adopt a retail-and-franchise model without owning manufacturing resourcesStrategyBackground
The founding families wanted to create a recognizable national furniture brand while importing and distributing Scandinavian-inspired products.
Action taken
Roche Bobois built a joint catalogue, coordinated marketing and a national franchise network, relying on manufacturing partners instead of owning a large manufacturing base.
Aftermath
The model supported rapid geographic expansion and became a defining feature of the company’s operating structure.
Recent events
- 2026
Eric Amourdedieu appointed chairman of the executive board[3]
Leadership change
Roche Bobois appointed longtime Group managing director Eric Amourdedieu as chairman of the executive board, with Stéphanie Berson becoming managing director. Guillaume Demulier left the board after seven years as chairman.
- 2026
Roche Bobois reports 2025 results in line with targets[4]
Other
The company reported 2025 consolidated revenue of €402.5 million and current EBITDA of €71.2 million, alongside positive net cash and higher free cash flow. The release also cited new stores and continued international development.
- 2025
Roche Bobois expands presence in Australia with first Sydney showroom[1]
Other
The brand’s official history identifies the opening of its first Sydney store as a milestone in its continued expansion across five continents.
- 2025
Roche Bobois increases ownership in Shanghai Rock Castle[9]
M&A
The Group announced plans to raise its stake in Shanghai Rock Castle to 67%, strengthening its position in the Chinese market.
- 2025
Roche Bobois implements two U.S. price increases amid tariff concerns[10]
Pricing
The company stated that it introduced one price increase in the United States in early February and a second in April in anticipation of possible tariffs on European goods and related currency effects.
- 2025
Roche Bobois reports resilient first-half 2025 performance[11]
Other
First-half 2025 revenue reached €206.2 million, up slightly year over year at current exchange rates, while current EBITDA was €36.7 million.
- 2025
Roche Bobois opens new stores in the United States and France[4]
Other
The Group cited openings and investment in stores including Herblay in France and Austin and Las Vegas in the United States, as well as renovations in Los Angeles and other locations.
- 2023
Roche Bobois passes 300-showroom scale across its brands[8]
Other
The Group reported a substantial increase in directly operated showrooms and stated that its Roche Bobois and Cuir Center brands together had 340 showrooms and more than 1,000 employees worldwide.
- 2018
Roche Bobois lists on Euronext Paris[5]
Other
Roche Bobois SA became a publicly traded company on Euronext Paris, creating a public-market structure while the founding families retained significant influence.
Sources11 sources
- 1Roche Bobois official brand historyroche-bobois.com
- 2Roche Bobois official governancefinance-roche-bobois.com
- 3Appointment of Eric Amourdedieu as Chairman of the Executive Boardfinance-roche-bobois.com
- 4Roche Bobois 2025 resultsfinance-roche-bobois.com
- 5Roche Bobois shareholding structurefinance-roche-bobois.com
- 6Roche Bobois 2024 Sustainable Development Reportfinance-roche-bobois.com
- 7Roche Bobois, Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 8Major increase in Group-owned showroomsfinance-roche-bobois.com
- 9Increase ownership in Shanghai Rock Castlelive.euronext.com
- 10Implement two U.S. price increaseslive.euronext.com
- 11Roche Bobois reports resilient first-half 2025 performancefinance-roche-bobois.com
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