Authenticated Roche Bobois Mah Jong: The Original Sofa Guide

Published on: June 9, 2026 | Read time: 5 minutes 

Author: Tom Allason

The Mah Jong is the sofa that ended the idea that a sofa had to sit on legs. Designed by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois in 1971, it is a system of floor-level cushions and back rests, hand-sewn in France and dressed by Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Kenzo Takada, and Sonia Rykiel. The originals, authenticated. Delivered in days, not the eight- to sixteen-week wait.

About the author

Tom Allason is the founder and CEO of REHAUS, the circular designer furniture platform. He works directly with the REHAUS authentication, restoration and sourcing teams, and writes on iconic design, circular ownership, and the economics of designer furniture.

Short on time? Here are the key takeaways

• The Mah Jong is a modular sofa created by the German designer Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois in 1971. Three elements (floor cushions, back rests, and platforms) stacked and juxtaposed into infinite configurations.
• Roche Bobois has dressed the Mah Jong in fabrics designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Kenzo Takada, and Sonia Rykiel.
• New: from around £6,800 for a five-piece composition to £24,000–£100,000+ for large designer-fabric sets, with an eight- to sixteen-week wait from the Paris workshop.
• REHAUS: same authenticated piece, delivered in 1 to 5 days, at a meaningful saving on retail.
• Every REHAUS piece is one of one, authenticated, and covered by the Forever Guarantee. Trade it back for 100% of what you paid, forever.

Why the Mah Jong Matters

Roche Bobois was founded in 1960, when Philippe and François Roche met the Chouchan family at the Copenhagen Furniture Fair. The two Parisian furniture businesses merged, and the company name combined both. François Roche ran the business until his death in October 2021.

The Mah Jong arrived eleven years in. In 1971, Hans Hopfer (born 1931), a German designer, painter, and sculptor credited with inventing the "seating landscape", created a sofa with no fixed frame. The cushions hold themselves together; the configuration is the design. Fifty-five years later, every Mah Jong is still hand-sewn in a dedicated Roche Bobois workshop.

The cultural conversation has not paused. ELLE Decoration UK named the Mah Jong an icon of 70s design in 2022. Designlines Magazine ran a fifty-year retrospective in 2021. Architectural Digest covered the Mah Jong Outdoor launch in 2024. The same modular logic, weatherproofed.

The Compositions That Defined the Mah Jong

Custom upholstery: the original

The base composition. Cushions and back rests in any of Roche Bobois's standard fabrics. Sizes run from five-piece sets up to twenty-piece sectionals. The Mah Jong Sectional Sofa in Custom Upholstery, Set of 17, is the flagship at REHAUS.

Composition Missoni

The most-photographed Mah Jong of the last decade. Missoni's zigzag and chevron prints are applied to the cushion grid. A permanent line, refreshed with new textile drops. A new Composition Missoni typically lists £30,000 to £60,000.

By Jean Paul Gaultier

Gaultier's house language (stripes, jersey, the marinière, trompe-l'œil corsets) on the Mah Jong cushion. The most-requested designer collaboration on the secondary market. The Eleven-Piece Mah Jong by Jean Paul Gaultier and Hans Hopfer at REHAUS is the worked example.

By Kenzo Takada

Bold florals and Japanese-French textile language from the founder of Kenzo. The rarest of the four major designer compositions.

Mah Jong Outdoor

Launched 2024. The original system in weatherproof fabric, most often seen in Missoni outdoor. The Outdoor Mah Jong upholstered in Missoni at REHAUS is the seven-piece configuration.

The Designers Behind the Mah Jong

• Hans Hopfer (born 1931) is the design author. The Mah Jong is his definitive piece, the sofa that defined the "seating landscape" concept.
• Jean Paul Gaultier brought stripes, jersey, and the marinière directly from his fashion archive onto the cushion grid.
• Missoni, founded in Italy in 1953, is the longest-running fabric collaborator. The zigzag is now inseparable from the Mah Jong's most-photographed configurations.
• Kenzo Takada (1939 to 2020) designed Mah Jong fabrics in bold florals and Japanese motifs. Now collector-grade on the secondary market.
• Sonia Rykiel (1930 to 2016), the Parisian Queen of Knitwear, contributed Mah Jong fabrics in her house's striped knit language. Rare.

Buying an Original Mah Jong Through REHAUS

A new five-piece Mah Jong in custom upholstery starts around £6,800. A mid-size twelve-to-fifteen-piece set runs £13,000 to £20,000. A large designer-fabric configuration runs £24,000 to £100,000-plus. Lead times are eight to sixteen weeks from the Paris workshop.

An original, authenticated Mah Jong through REHAUS is the better way to own one, full stop. Same hand-sewn piece, original Roche Bobois fabric, restored to REHAUS quality standards, with no value lost on day one.

Every Mah Jong at REHAUS is fully authenticated. We verify the original cushion construction, the foam density, the fabric provenance (Missoni, Gaultier, Kenzo, and Sonia Rykiel fabrics each have specific authentication markers), and the hand-sewn stitching against Roche Bobois's workshop specifications.

The Forever Guarantee covers the trade. Trade your Mah Jong back for 100% of what you paid, forever, or resell anytime. After nine months of ownership, your piece is eligible for exchange against any other piece in the REHAUS collection.

Delivery is one to five days, white-glove, complimentary above £3,000. The 30-day home trial covers the rest, with free same-day returns. Across REHAUS pieces sold since 2022, sellers have seen an average resale appreciation of 18%.

Browse the current Roche Bobois collection at REHAUS for live Mah Jong configurations, or the wider Hans Hopfer originals at REHAUS for the designer's full authenticated catalogue.

Browse the Original Mah Jong Collection at REHAUS

The Mah Jong belongs to a small group of furniture designed in the same five-year window: the Mario Bellini Camaleonda for B&B Italia (1970), the Hans Hopfer Mah Jong for Roche Bobois (1971), and the Michel Ducaroy Togo for Ligne Roset (1973). Three pieces, three countries, the same design instinct. Each treats the user as the final author. All three remain in production fifty years on.

Every piece is authenticated. One of one. Delivered in days, not the eight- to sixteen-week wait. Browse the current Roche Bobois collection at REHAUS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Roche Bobois Mah Jong, and what is it known for?

The Mah Jong is a modular floor sofa designed by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois in 1971. Three elements (floor cushions, back rests, and optional platforms) that can be stacked or juxtaposed into infinite configurations. Hand-sewn in France. Dressed in fabrics by Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Kenzo Takada, and Sonia Rykiel.

How much does a Mah Jong sofa cost?

A new five-piece set starts around £6,800. Mid-size twelve-to-fifteen-piece sets run £13,000 to £20,000. Large bespoke designer-fabric configurations run £24,000 to £100,000+. Lead times are eight to sixteen weeks from the Paris workshop. An authenticated original through REHAUS is delivered in 1 to 5 days,

Who designed the Mah Jong and when?

Designed in 1971 by Hans Hopfer (born 1931), the German designer credited as the inventor of the "seating landscape." Created for Roche Bobois, the French company founded in 1960 by the Roche and Chouchan families. In continuous production since.

Is the Mah Jong worth the price?

Yes. The Mah Jong holds value strongly on the secondary market. Fifty-five years of continuous production, hand-sewn construction, and the four designer-fabric collaborations keep the supply limited and demand constant. Through REHAUS, an authenticated original is delivered in days, with the Forever Guarantee covering the trade.

Where can I buy an authentic Mah Jong in the UK?

New: Roche Bobois's London showroom, with an eight- to sixteen-week wait from the Paris workshop. Authenticated originals: REHAUS, where every set is verified against Roche Bobois's hand-sewn workshop specifications, delivered in 1 to 5 days, with a 30-day home trial and the Forever Guarantee.

Can the Mah Jong be reconfigured later?

Yes. Every set is built from the same modular cushion grammar, so a configuration that works in a London living room today can be rebuilt as a corner sofa, daybed, conversation pit, or guest bed when the room changes. Whichever route, the Forever Guarantee covers the trade: your Mah Jong, 100% of what you paid, forever.