Making its debut in Eero Saarinen’s Womb Chair in 1948, boucle fabric quickly became a staple fabric for mid-century furniture and high-couture fashion. Derived from the French word for ‘curled’ or ‘looped’, the term boucle refers to the technique used to loop the fibre, typically made from wool, cotton and linen, resulting in a unique tightly-coiled material.
Incredibly durable, boucle fabric has seen a comeback in recent years, becoming a go-to for sculptural sofas and armchairs. In this edit, we’re focusing on nine of our favourite boucle armchairs that accentuate tactile sophistication through their unique pairing of form and fabric.
The Rico Lounge Chair and Sofa by Omayra Maymo for Ferm Living in Sand boucle | Photography courtesy of Ferm Living
The La Pipe Lounge Chair by Danish designers Friends & Founders balances comfort and elegance through its gentle curves.
The La Pipe Lounge Chair by Friends & Founders in Toorak Home by Larritt-Evans | Photography by Eve Wilson.
The Pacha Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin for Gubi in Malvern East House by Fiona Lynch Office | Photography by Amelia Stanwix
Designed by esteemed French designer Pierre Paulin in 1975, the Pacha Lounge Chair for Gubi was created to feel as though you’re ‘sitting on clouds’.
Also designed by Pierre Paulin, the Elysée Armchair has a rich history. Commissioned by former French president Georges Pompidou for the renovation of the Elysée Palace in Paris, the Elysée Armchair remains a timeless designer favourite today, adored for its simple enveloping form.
As seen in Claire Delmar’s wrap of Maison et Objet 2019 in est Magazine Issue #34, the Dooq Malibu Armchair pays homage to the golden age of mid-century design. Characterised by a unique strip of fabric piping that runs around the chair, the Dooq Malibu Armchair is equal parts sensuous as it is cosy.
The Corona Spectrum Chair is the contemporary reproduction of the Corona Chair, originally designed in 1961. The light and sculptural armchair is inspired by human anatomy with its spine and rib-like padded shells.
The James Said Taylor Boucle Cream Chair introduces a sense of warmth and homeliness to the family living room thanks to its traditional clean-lined silhouette and matching boucle cushions.
The Armchair Asymétrie by French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch was designed for the Architectural Digest Intérieurs 2013 exhibition. Its sculptural and geometric form subtly reference carved stone, upholstered in a crisp white boucle.
No longer in production, this Fritz Hansen Armchair is a rare variant of the iconic 1669 Chair, manufactured circa 1930. The grand armchair has been reworked in boucle fabric and remains a designer favourite that is highly sought-after by collectors around the globe.
Upholstered in a rich Italian boucle, the voluptuous Jardan Joy Lounge Chair marries feminine curves with a solid American Oak base. Its swivel functionality ensures it serves as both a visually striking and practical armchair.
