Photo credits: Baptiste Le Quiniou and Flavien Carlod.
Roche Bobois is celebrating a design icon: the OVALIA armchair conceived by Danish designer Henrik Thor-Larsen in 1968. True to the visionary spirit of the original creation, Roche Bobois has produced a modernised reinterpretation of this emblematic piece.
This development is grounded in Roche Bobois’s historic connection to Scandinavian design. During the 1960s, the brand helped introduce France to furniture that embodied a new vision of interior design – more functional, more innovative.
In 2026, Roche Bobois reimagined the OVALIA armchair in a more contemporary iteration aligned with the uses and savoir-faire of our time. The updated version exemplifies the French Art de Vivre characteristic of Roche Bobois: a balance between legacy and creativity, heritage and innovation.
“The reissue of the Ovalia armchair by Henrik Thor-Larsen perfectly illustrates Roche Bobois’s commitment to creative transmission: preserving the vision and boldness of an iconic design while updating it with our comfort standards and contemporary uses," says Eric Amourdedieu, Roche Bobois Group Executive Director. "This effort of respectful reappropriation brings the heritage of design to life and firmly roots it in the present.”
This 2026 edition boasts new customisation options with six exclusive colourways for the shell, a wide range of fabrics, a footrest, and a cocktail table, all designed to complement the armchair.
Much work has also been done to ensure Ovalia is comfortable: new backrest inclination, a seat mounted on elastic straps, and an integrated headrest for a more natural, enveloping experience. Designed as an immersive, protected space, the armchair includes a magnetic system to house a smartphone within the shell in order to enjoy audio or video content in an intimate environment.
An exclusive medal displaying the designer’s name and the date of this edition authenticates each Ovalia.
