51 - MICHEL DUCAROY (Lyon, 1925–2009) for Ligne Roset.

MICHEL DUCAROY (Lyon, 1925–2009) for Ligne Roset. “Togo” Sofa. It consists of a two-seater module and a corner module. Measurements: Few pieces of contemporary furniture have achieved the status of a design icon quite like Michel Ducaroy’s Togo. Created in 1973 for Ligne Roset, this sofa revolutionized the traditional concept of seating by eliminating any visible rigid structure and replacing it with an innovative core of multi-density foams that offers exceptional comfort. Its characteristic low silhouette, generous padded folds—which evoke the skin of a Shar-Pei dog—and its casual appearance gave rise to a radically new design, making it one of the most recognizable and admired models of the 20th century. Unveiled that same year at the Salon des Arts Ménagers in Paris, the Togo was awarded the René Gabriel Prize, an honor recognizing “innovative and democratic furniture,” and has enjoyed commercial and critical success since its launch—a success that remains relevant more than five decades later. Its design, conceived as a true “sofa-mattress,” responds to a new way of inhabiting domestic spaces, prioritizing comfort, flexibility, and informality without sacrificing a powerful aesthetic identity. Michel Ducaroy, a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, joined Ligne Roset in 1954, where he headed the design department for decades. Fascinated by the possibilities offered by new materials that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s—such as polyurethane foam, wadding, and thermoformed plastics—he developed an innovative formal language that gave rise to some of the most iconic pieces of contemporary French design. Among them all, the Togo series stands as his masterpiece and one of the greatest successes in Ligne Roset’s history. This set, upholstered in blue Alcantara, preserves the structure that has made the Togo a benchmark in international design. Its modular configuration allows for multiple arrangements, adapting naturally to a variety of spaces. More than fifty years after its creation, it remains a symbol of timeless design and one of the most coveted pieces of 20th-century French design.