There’s something old-fashioned, or indeed anti-fashion about a duffle coat. It’s charmingly naïf, the stuff of school uniforms and Paddington Bear, with a history that goes way back to the mid-19th century. It had a life in the military, as part of the uniform for the Royal Navy, and like much service attire, was then reimagined by the world of high fashion. Jean Cocteau used to stroll with close friend Coco Chanel, wearing his white version. Decades later, Rei Kawakubo made an oversized statement with versions at Comme des Garçons, and it remains a favorite of arch Modernist Margaret Howell. When Jean Louis Iratzoki was working on plans for a new sofa to join his ever-growing range of designs at BOSC, he took inspiration from the toggles and nostalgia of all things duffle. It was a subtle way to infuse what is a contemporary and highly sophisticated piece of furniture with a touch of something softer, from the past.
Childhood Memories and Contemporary Craftsmanship
"I’ve never actually worn a duffle coat," says designer Iratzoki, "but many of my friends wore them when they were teenagers. The allusion to the coat brings back this childhood memory and a feeling of comfort and warmth. But it also talks to what is a fairly rustic and easy-to-activate attachment system. It makes it clear that these are separate pieces, assembled together. Also, a duffle coat is constructed quite simply and loosely, allowing you to wear whatever you want underneath, while the boiled wool it’s made from is durable and resistant. I saw parallels there with the qualities of the sofa we wanted to create."
The Iratzoki Studio has worked with BOSC for over ten years, always focused on mixing together natural materials. While the leather fobs on the Duffle create an instantly recognizable and decorative motif, the core and layers of each sofa are part of the BOSC DNA. "Each one is handmade in the BOSC workshops in Hagetmau in the Landes," says Iratzoki. "There is a unique know-how to working with solid wood, in this case oak and walnut, but also in creating wool upholstery with leather fasteners."
Behind the Scenes: Duffle’s Rural Origins
The Duffle modular system might seem inherently urban –and works fabulously in a myriad of ways in high-use hospitality settings as well as private interiors– but the worlds of Iratzoki and BOSC are thoroughly rural. That wood you see in the Duffle has its roots, often literally, in the landscape surrounding their respective practices. When Iratzoki set up his first studio back in 2007, it was in a wooden cabin in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The New York Times called it "a minimalist refuge", and Iratzoki talked about how he liked the "serenity" and remote nature of the setting –largely because it made it difficult for people to visit and bother him while designing. Recently he moved to a new space in Azkaine in the Basque Country. "We have just rehabilitated an old carpentry workshop for our new offices," he says. "We have a discreet and efficient energy renovation that preserves the spirit of the workshop while making the place warm. The exterior has been vegetated, with wisteria and ivy covering the building."
Iratzoki says he feels the interior of his studio is now more important than the remoteness of where he worked before. And that he is also, essentially, working wherever he is: "In the office, on the road, in workshops, factories, even in between naps," he says. "More than anything now, it’s important to meet artisans and manufacturers and understand their know-how. That said, for the reflection phases, there is nothing better than a calm, peaceful and silent place. So, our studio is truly wonderful."
Modular, Versatile and User-friendly
The Duffle may have come out of sketches made on trains and in passenger seats, but it is, says Iratzoki "made for many universes. From a one-seater armchair or two-seater sofa for a small apartment, to a large layout for a public space or a hotel. The upholsteries are particularly resistant –just like the coat it is named after– and a side pocket allows you to store magazines or books." The beauty of the Duffle is in how it takes those naïf but built-for-purpose touches of a schoolboy and navy officer’s coat, and elevates the whole thing in a sleek system, all elevated –visually and literally– on a wooden platform. It’s so simple, but user-friendly. Just like that coat that went to school, to sea, and took Paddington Bear from Darkest Peru to 32 Windsor Gardens, it can be numerous different things all at once, built for longevity.
