With new AV technology helping bring its luxury furniture offer to life, Ligne Roset’s Chelsea showroom is the perfect setting for today’s discerning interiors consumer, says owner Imran Badat …
How did you come to own this showroom – and those in Bromley and Hampstead?
It all began in 2019, with the opening of the Bromley showroom – at the time, only the second mono-brand Ligne Roset store in the UK.
The Bromley showroom is located perfectly for clients based in South London, and those further afield in Kent – but, in early 2021, the opportunity arose to secure landmark retail premises, stretching 14m along London’s Finchley Road in Hampstead. The store is located near the bustling village of Hampstead, and is perfect for North-west London customers.
Our flagship store on the King’s Road opened in March 2022, and is part of an iconic building along this prominent road, which is famous for an array of furniture stores.
Can you provide some examples of your newest product lines?
We’ve introduced an array of products, ranging from the Dita System by Pagnon & Pelhaitre to Marechiaro shelving by Philippe Nigro, while expanding product ranges such as the Exclusif by Didier Gomez with a corner settee, augmenting its modular composition.
What does ‘luxury’ mean to you?
In the retailer experience, it’s buying a lifestyle, to feel exclusive and owning a product that is made with quality and value. It means our showroom needs to be beautiful, comfortable and timeless, so our clientele wants to touch and interact with our furniture.
Do you feel Chelsea’s retailers are somewhat insulated from the current economic uncertainties?
We think so, yes. We believe this is largely due to the international audience we notice in Chelsea, but also because London in general appears to be better placed to withstand economic uncertainties, due possibly to its more diverse economy.
The owner of Ligne Roset's Chelsea showroom, Imran Badat
How have you seen demand change in recent years?
We’ve seen an increase in demand for the iconic Togo range, and our models continue to capture the imagination when shared by influencers, magazines, interior decorators and architects alike.
Are many transactions made through the brand’s website, or are sales principally made in-store?
The majority of the brand’s sales are made in-store, which we think is the case with most mid- to upper-level brands. This is largely because of the nature of the product – clients wish to select and feel the fabrics and finishes, and experience the showroom service that a high-quality brand can offer.
You recently introduced a range of Loewe TVs and multiroom speakers to the showroom. Does technology play a significant role in-store?
The use of the Loewe TV offers a well-connected experience for our clientele. It enables us to present lifestyle images/videos of current products and products we do not have on display on the shopfloor, with ease. With Loewe’s smart features, we can easily share the screen from our laptop when consulting with clients on interior design, making the process even more engaging and fluid.
What else is in the pipeline?
We are starting the year with our involvement in Chelsea in Bloom during May, which is inspired by ‘flowers on film’, then outdoor furniture promotion during Clerkenwell Design Week.
Most importantly, we’re celebrating the iconic Togo sofa’s 50th anniversary this year, by having the Togo upholstered in a limited edition Pierre Frey fabric and on display in our showroom, which will be decorated to celebrate this special occasion.
This interview was published in the May 2023 issue of Furniture News magazine.
