MID CENTURY MODERN BOUCLÉ IS THE FABRIC DU JOUR

What’s the first thing that springs to mind when you think of bouclé? That’s right, it’s Jackie Kennedy in a pink Chanel suit. Classic. But it is not only for fashion. It is a wonderful upholstery fabric and your home is not complete in 2022 without an item of boucle furniture.

Bouclé can refer to a looped yarn or the resulting fabric woven from this yarn and it has a knobbly texture. Wool is the most common fiber used in it’s creation, but cotton, linen, and silk have also been used for achieving the fabric’s uniquely textured weave. Bouclé furniture is our favourite trend for winter 2022/23.

Its use in furniture actually came before it was used by Chanel for suits and has an equally glamorous history. Florence Knoll asked Eero Saarinen to design a chair that she could “really curl up in,”. He took that request literally and decided to use the “curled” fabric (the direct translation of bouclé in it’s original French) to create the Womb chair in 1948.

The Womb chair was a huge hit and in the years following the release of the chair, bouclé became a staple in both mid century fashion and upholstery.  

Fast forward to 2022 and Bouclé is making a comeback. According to Alice Newbold in Vogue magazine, Chanel are turning the classic on it’s head, “the elegant bouclé button-ups frame rock ‘n’ roll tees, bandeaus and strings of pearl necklaces worn over bare skin.” 

Meanwhile in the world of home furnishings bouclé is also rocking the boat.

According to Architectural Digest, “As demand shifts toward fabric, which is abundant in texture yet breathable in weight, textile houses are rounding out their bouclé offerings.” Take a look at these curvy designs that suit the fabric so well. There is something cloud like about the white fabric in a rounded and often squishy form that is so perfect for the escapism we crave during these crazy times. And of course they are the perfect fabric for winter. Cosy yet reminiscent of a snowdrift you can fall into. Just think how well boucle furniture will look with the tree. 🎄

And while I do love the curves it does also look fantastic in a buttoned mid century classic design such as the Rosslyn which is a great buy at only £529.00.

I think the white bouclé has an undeniably feminine aura. But boys like Boucle too. If you need to appease those pesky men in your life, not to worry. It is possible to buy bouclé furniture in more masculine shades.

Boucle DIning Chairs

It doesn’t seem the most practical material for a dining chair to me, but just look how fabulous these retro boucle dining chairs look. We’ll just eat white food from now on, won’t we? These are sold as a pair so that’s a good price for two upholstered chairs with such a statement design.

Boucle for the bedroom

And why not add a boucle bed for the ultimate in mid century glamour? I’m definitely going to need new PJ’s if I’m going to match the glamour of my bed.

Maybe you want to add just a hint of the latest fashion. In which case, why not add a lovely rocking chair or even just freshen your look with a few cushions?

This Christmas, take a leaf out of Florence Knoll’s book and curl up on your bouclé furniture and read a nice book. Dreamy! Knowing all the while you are as fashionable as Jackie O in her heyday.

Shop the full bouclé range here.