A fantasy playground for unfettered creativity, filled with art, is housed in an unassuming post-industrial building on the outskirts of Long Island, New York. It belongs to Joffrey, a heritage luxury furniture and upholstery company that hails from France and has become a cradle of bespoke furniture design, custom craftsmanship, and textile experimentation in Manhattan. Their latest exhibition, L’ècho, which remains a kind of fluid installation as the showroom and office expand to this day, is emblematic of their approach to working, using history as a guide to navigate a maze of eclectic client tastes, designer needs, contemporary challenges, and new traditional approaches. While the traffic is typically designer-to-customer, there’s plenty to appreciate for inquisitive minds outside the trade.
L’ÈCHO Showroom: Reflection I & II ceramics by Adriana Castro and Corina Dorigo; monoliths and bowls by Drew Hart; curtain design by Edward Mead
Divided into three scenes, L’ècho begins as guests pass through the walls of the warehouse and cross the modest threshold where they are greeted by a showroom set up like a formal salon. It establishes the studio’s identity with a quick display of upholstery ingenuity from the seats to the wall panels, not only in a variety of aesthetic executions but also in a case study of comfort. “On this occasion, our focus was to promote natural materials as the new standard for manufacturing while showing that we can achieve the same quality of excellence and ease that we have established in the past with synthetic foam,” says Jouffre’s design director, Taylor Scott Ross. “The organization contributes to the dialogue between history and the future of design.” Enkev forms an important part of this dialogue, with its materials including Cocolok and Taillok—composed of coconut fiber and horsehair rubberized with natural latex, respectively.
L’ÈCHO Showroom: Blue Time handwoven panel by Kimberly English; Echo chair by Taylor Scott Ross; Cage sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle; Henge Club chairs by RRP x Jouffre; Pina coffee table by Gregory Beson; Kansas lamp by Luke Malaney; statues and bowls by Drew Hart; curtains by Edward Meade; Domus sconces by Studio Luddite
This piece includes the Cage Sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle. This piece features the iconic “woven” oak frame, which it shares with its 2021 predecessor, the Cage Chair, and plush alpaca fur seats by Sedallo. The playful Echo Chair, designed by Ross himself, uses a vibrant Sophia Rose fabric from Brooklyn-based rruka weavers, which contrasts two colors through the warp and weft. This space is partly a textile embroidery collaboration between Atelier Lebuisson and Jouffre, filling the architectural niches with vibrant abstract waves made from sustainable materials. Surfaces are further highlighted by sophisticated lighting from Studio Luddite including the Dormus Sconces and Stagg Lamp.
L’ÈCHO Showroom: Blue Time handwoven artwork by Kimberly English; Echo chair by Taylor Scott Ross; Cage sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle; Pina coffee table by Gregory Beson; Monoliths & Vessels by Drew Hart; Curtains by Edward Meade; Domus sconces by Studio Luddite
L’ÈCHO showroom: “Cycle Dance” chair in Rome by Combray Design; 3D wall embroidery by L’ècho Written by Atelier Lobison
Those lucky enough to get a literal peek behind the veil of sheer curtains continue up to the production floor, where some 60 industry veterans, artisans, and designers alike contribute their skills to the creation of incomparable home furnishings. The hum of production is tempered by chuckles as workers from across the studio exchange compliments. Visitors move through a field of projects in progress that demonstrate various skills: traditional upholstery, window and wall treatments, trim, and carpentry. In the far corner opposite the closed showroom is another miniature, this time a scan of coveted chairs set above a monochrome landscape. This Iconique piece is part of Joffrey’s catalog of collectible vintage designs that can be reupholstered to order. It marks the end of a series of designs by Jean Royère.
L’ÉCHO ICONIQUE: Oeuf sofa, Polar bear chair and Croisillon coffee table by Jean Royère
The final offering is another aptly named collection called Dreamscape, draped in Dedar velvet and hidden next to the showroom. Entering this intimate space, guests are warmed by the rich fabrics and soothed by contrasting colours that seem to have been taken from illustrations found in bedtime stories. The most impressive aspect is the Echo bed, designed by Nikki Bregman of Jouffre, made entirely from natural materials from Enkev and coloured with fabrics from Sedallo. Its massive, voluminous dimensions conspire with pale yellow and light grey tones to create an ethereal glow that invites viewers to retire to bed.
L’ÉCHO DREAMSCAPE: Echo bed by Nikki Bregman; side table by Luke Malaney; Adler candlesticks by Studio Lodit; Rondo Hammered Sculptures by Martin Espinosa; Artwork by Kimberly English
L’ÉCHO DREAMSCAPE: Pearlyna floor lamp by Jenna Graziano; Comfortable chair by Fritz Hansen
The ever-evolving exhibition, grounded in interconnectedness and communication, is a testament to founder Charles Joffrey’s mission and the incredible gathering of creatives and thinkers at the forefront of their disciplines. “It is vital that we collaborate with design voices that align with our values, challenge and elevate our capabilities, and complement our expertise,” adds Ross. “In these moments, the larger spaces become beacons for the international community, perpetuating crafts across borders: real objects that momentarily become deeply universal remnants of humanity.”
To learn more about Jouffre Atelier’s capabilities and collaborations, visit jouffre.com.
Photographed by Joseph Cram.
