Mah Jong Sofa

Overview

The Jean Paul Gaultier - Couture - Composition 3 Elements is a version of the Mah Jong, the modular seating system designed by Hans Hopfer; Roche Bobois's collection page dates its creation to 1971. The product page says this creation features emblematic motifs of the couturier: the stripe, here embellished with a woven flower, and the torn fishnet in a superposition of light and dark tones. It adds that the sofa rests on new platforms. The fabric is listed as category A1 / COM.

Construction

According to the technical sheet, the back elements have a FSC wood structure of solid fir and pine plywood (CARB). Seat cushions are high-resilience polyurethane foam, density 37 kg/m³, with cotton batting; back cushions are high-resilience foam (density 18E) with cotton batting; the small and lumbar cushions are 50% goose and duck feathers and 50% polyester fibres. The sheet notes that all elements are padded and stitched by hand, that the stitching is hand-sewn, and Made in Europe. Wooden platforms, stained or lacquered, are to be ordered from supplier 321.

Specifications

• This composition: W 388 x H 78 x D 103 cm
• Seat cushion: 95 x 95 cm, 19 cm thick; lounge chair seat cushion: 159 x 95 cm
• Straight back cushion: 95 cm wide, 53 cm high, or 78 cm high with the manual headrest mechanism
• Panoramic corner seat cushion: 170 x 170 cm; it cannot be used without a back cushion because of the stitching across the seat
• Coverings: all Roche Bobois materials except leathers thicker than 1.8 mm, stretch fabrics and padded fabrics
• Options: anti-slip mat for elements on platforms, adjustable headrest, small cushion, lumbar cushion

The Couture composition

The product page describes this Mah Jong as dressed in Jean Paul Gaultier's Couture collection: his stripe with a woven flower, and the torn fishnet in light and dark tones. The technical sheet groups the Couture collection fabrics under Jean Paul Gaultier, next to his La Croisiere collection, the Missoni Home fabrics and the Kenzo Takada design fabrics.

From 1971

Roche Bobois's collection page says Hans Hopfer created the Mah Jong sofa in 1971 as a system of cushions that champions complete freedom of form and function, and that it is avant-garde at the time of its creation and an iconic piece today.