Olivier and Antoine embody the fifth

Roset generation. The sons of Michel

and Pierre Roset (CEO and President,

respectively) continue to expand the

Group internationally, particularly in Japan

and China. With over 700 points of sale

in 70 countries, Ligne Roset remains

committed to its retail locations, but

today the new generation is accelerating

the digital shift. With the creation of

four distribution platforms in the United

States, the brand has increased its visibility

with online orders, a new tool for its

development.

What is the industrial strength of Ligne

Roset today?

Olivier Roset: It is based on the

mastery of three complementary crafts:

the manufacturing of seating, the

manufacturing of other types of furniture

and the production of decorative objects:

carpets, lighting, etc. When you buy

a Ligne Roset sofa at one of our 700

retail locations worldwide, an order is

–9 –

launched in our workshops in France

and seven weeks later, the product

comes out of one of our five industrial

sites (155,000 m2). The strength of the

Group is also based on its work with

variations: for many pieces of furniture

we offer a choice of 20 lacquer colors

and each chair is custom manufactured

in one of our 10,000 textile or leather

options. The production of our seating

category is organized by areas of

expertise: each brings together the

specialization of about forty versatile

employees who work according to the

Japanese method Kaizen. This style of

management allows autonomous teams

to continuously improve manufacturing

processes. As for the designers, their

projects are developed in our three

design offices alongside Michel Roset

and 15 employees. The engineering

department adapts the product

design to the industrial tool in about

six months. Each year, a hundred new

products are made. The collections

never stop!

How did Ligne Roset establish itself in

Japan?

Olivier Roset : In 1981, a Japanese

bedding manufacturer approached us

at the Paris Furniture Fair to diversify

their offerings. Ligne Roset was clearly

an ideal partner because we shared

the same industrial language and our

two companies work with high-end

foam, our common language. So my

grandfather, Jean Roset, and my uncle

Pierre signed a licensing agreement with

this manufacturer, authorizing them to

produce a selection of our collection in

their factories: this is how Ligne Roset

Japan was born.

Doesn't this market have a reputation for

being difficult?

Olivier Roset : Like the German

clientele that we won over in the 1970s,

the Japanese clientele appreciate high

quality, but it is just as demanding in

terms of price, speed of delivery and

after-sales service: to succeed beyond

the Rhine is to win over the Japanese

market. For 40 years, Ligne Roset

Japan has been a very loyal partner

and we are faithful to it. Each quarter, a

member of the Roset family visits their

factories in Hiroshima to adapt our

products to Japanese standards. Since

their apartments are smaller, they need

very compact design objects that are

consistent with their way of life.

What product did you start off with?

Olivier Roset : Ligne Roset Japan first

manufactured Togo, our iconic all-foam

sofa that is also a bestseller in Japan. Their

offerings have expanded over the years.

With Michel Roset, we redefined our

development plan by encouraging our

partner to manufacture more products

and to position itself with exclusive

distribution. In ten years, turnover has

increased sharply. Originally distributed

in multi-brand stores, Ligne Roset Japan

showed confidence in us by investing

in exclusive stores, which was not its

tradition. After establishing two stores in

Tokyo, Ligne Roset Japan just opened

a third in the Ginza district, historically

focused on luxury items.

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