French modern furniture brand Ligne Roset has imagined a new concept for its oldest factory in Montagnieu near Lyon, originally established by Antoine Roset in 1892 after founding the company in 1860. It’s no longer a factory for furniture, but a factory for ideas, skills and innovation. The old warehouses have been preserved as daylight-filled, open-ended spaces for a ‘360-degree’ experience for public, professionals and employees alike.
In a globalised world in which we often feel detached from how and where furniture is made, the brand has consciously designated space and time to celebrate their ‘Made in France’ approach that applies to 85 per cent of its products today. ‘Studio 1860’ aims to bring people closer to historic knowhow, design innovation and responsible consumption – the latter of which involves generally launching fewer and smaller collections, but thinking more about people and impact, explains Olivier Roset, co-CEO of Ligne Roset.
The factory first manufactured umbrella canes under the leadership of founder Antoine Roset’s widow Marie-Victorine Divet. The first upholstered chair was produced there under her son, Emile Roset (1882-1946) in the 1930s. Production evolved and continued until 2001, when it was moved to a nearby factory in Briord. Now Ligne Roset occupies approximately 155,000 sq m of industrial space over six production sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, employing about 600 people.
“It is really important for us to defend manufacturing in our area,” says Olivier. As a child, he looked out the window from his grandfather Jean Roset’s (1920-1999) house upon the triangular peaks of the factory. Now, after two years of work, the warehouses have been rehabilitated by local architect Michel Delers – the original spirit and patina preserved, yet modernised with new materials such as Corten and more windows to improve brightness.
“Michel has built all of the factories over the years with my uncle and father,” explains Olivier. “We could have worked with an international architect, but we wanted to rely on local knowhow and creativity as part of becoming a destination that is connected to local life in all its facets from tourism and politics to industry.”
The stripped-back industrial architecture and interiors allow ideas to take centre stage. “To understand the quality of manufacturing, you have to experience it,” says Olivier. Combining a showroom and garden for the latest indoor and outdoor collections, an archive exhibition, meeting rooms and training facilities, Studio 1860’s curated pathway guides visitors through production history from the 19th century to today, encouraging interaction and touch, communicating through photography, videos, sound, models and drawings.
In the archive exhibition, rare pieces such as the Astarac four-poster bed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and the Eleméntaire armchair by Jean Nouvel are framed by clean scenography. Olivier has seen the Ligne Roset archive becoming an increasingly important touchpoint for professionals in imagining total interior atmospheres, particularly for big hotel clients such as Sofitel, Aman and the Marriott. He’s witnessed the circularity of trends decade by decade, often, he believes, tied to generational nostalgia, to which the brand has responded with innovative re-editions of the 1970s Kashima and Togo sofas, for example.
Since its re-release, the Togo sofa has generated a new cult following, particularly among younger generations for whom Studio 1860 has been designed to attract. There’s a cosy listening space to relax and tune into the Togo sofa 100th anniversary podcast, plus the outlet store offers a selection of accessories, such as lamps, mirrors and clocks at reduced prices, perhaps for a first purchase. “We want to show the younger generation that they belong to this cultural project,” says Olivier.
This sense of ‘belonging’ is also cultivated by the internal training school dedicated to upholstery and sewing. In a series of bright warehouse spaces, trainees can interact with technical equipment, tools, materials and finished products, covering each stage of production in one place, while having the opportunity to explore the archive.
At Studio 1860, Ligne Roset is celebrating heritage, community and skills. And in doing so, Olivier hopes that it will better communicate the value of a Ligne Roset product – and its price point.
Images courtesy of Ligne Roset
Enjoyed this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here
