2-Seater sofa ‘Brigantin’ by Michel Ducaroy (Sold)
2-Seater sofa ‘Brigantin’, designed by Michel Ducaroy and produced by Ligne Roset in France in the 1980’s. This lightweight sofa came from the drawing board of the mastermind behind the Togo sofa. The Brigantin may be not as iconic but equally as comfortable with it’s soft quality leather, enveloping design and full foam body. A Brigantin is a two masted sailing ship and this resemblance is clear in the design. The leather is patinated and still original. On both ends you can see some light scratch marks from a cat. Also some small stains on the leather, as shown in the picture. The sofa has been cleaned thoroughly and treated with leather milk to preserve the leather. In decent condition. Original maker’s label is present on the back.
Product / Model
Designer
Manufacturer
Country
Date
Product ID
Price
Dimensions:
W: 200 cm
D: 93 cm
H: 62 cm
Seating H: 34 cm
Weight: approx. 15 kilo
Material: foam, leather
Michel Ducaroy was born in 1925 into a family of designers and furniture makers, whose work ranged from private homes to larger-scale projects like liners, exhibitions, and public buildings. Drawing from his family’s legacy, Ducaroy studied at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and gained hands-on experience in the family business before venturing out on his own as an independent designer in 1952.
He first collaborated with Ligne Roset in 1954, quickly becoming one of the company’s most influential designers. Ligne Roset, a family ran business that started over 160 years ago as an atelier producing walking sticks, saw that Ducaroy was the key player they needed in pushing the technological limits of furniture design. Especially his work with foam was very notable. In 1968, he created the Adria, one of the first modular all-foam chairs, followed by other notable pieces like Kashima, Brigantin and Safi, which featured large cushions mounted on altuglass frames.
However, it was in 1973 that Ducaroy unveiled his most iconic creation, based on the shape of a tube of toothpaste: Togo. This collection of these all-foam quirky seating, with its generously quilted polyester covers, became an almost instant classic. Its unique design, combining both comfort and versatility, allowed it to fit seamlessly into almost any interior. The big advantage of sofas like the Togo was that they didn’t need an internal structure, since they were entirely made up of foam, an incredibly versatile and innovative material as well as cheap compared to the standards of the time.
Ducaroy retired in 1980 and passed away in 2009 but the Togo still today remains one of Ligne Roset’s best selling products in their 700 retail locations worldwide.
