If you are a lover of modernism, it’s possible that, somehow, you have seen some of the extraordinary creations of the great French designer Michel Ducaroy, especially his fantastic Togo sofa. In this Manhattan Home Design Reviews entry, we’ll take a closer look at this highly commented work, and not only it but also the other pieces that are part of the same collection.
At this point, the Ducaroy sofa appears in all kinds of media such as fashion productions, catalogs, interior design magazines, and photos of prescribers on Instagram. So many repeated references over the years have given the piece an undeniable and timeless mythical character. In fact, for many specialists, it’s a piece that was ahead of its time.
For critics, the Togo collection represented a novelty that many didn’t know how to assimilate at first. In fact, Michel himself shared his own impression of the work, stating that the design of the piece made it look like “a tube of toothpaste folded in on itself like a chimney pipe and closed at both ends”. Thus, with features never before seen in a finished modern sofa model, materials implemented in a tremendously original way, and a user experience that exceeded standards, the Togo sofa gradually became an icon of 70s design that still gives a lot to talk about.
The omnipresence of the Togo sofa in the Midcentury Modern imagery is truly amazing. Not only has it shared the scene with highly recognized models and brands, but it has also remained a benchmark among specialists and a must-have product in the catalogs of stores that sell this type of piece. The fact that so many people continue to prefer it and find it a model compatible with their tastes, shows that it was always a design ahead of its time, which makes its creator a visionary. In addition, it’s an aesthetically very versatile sofa, since it looks good with practically any decorating style, and that represents a very great advantage.
Beautiful, Useful, and Amazingly Comfortable
Not everything on this sofa is about aesthetics: it’s also a very comfortable seat, the kind of furniture in which you sit down and don’t want to get up again, especially since it’s made of foam of various densities. As if that were not enough, it’s a modular model that, with its additional seats such as the Ducaroy corner piece, the Ducaroy ottoman, and the Fireside chair, makes up a super appealing set that adapts to any space.
It’s not so difficult to imagine what sources of inspiration the Frenchman might have had for the creation of this iconic design. Since his childhood, he was influenced by the latest trends in the world of design and architecture, considering that his family owned a renowned furniture firm specializing in interior design projects. Later, he studied fine arts at the prestigious École Supérieure Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and in 1952 opened his own interior design studio. It wasn’t until 1954 that the Ducaroy sofa was born, and it really didn’t take long for it to become an elegant design that was out of all standards.
Both common users and professional interior designers have fallen at the feet of the Togo sofa for years. It’s never too late to discover a piece as influential, relevant, and iconic as this one, much more so when you can also choose a faithful replica that can offer you the advantages of a design that will also enchant your friends and family.