The German brand that always sensed what was in the air: Rolf Benz
A furniture brand that not only rethought the function of the living room, but also brought its philosophy to success. Rolf Benz became synonymous with the quality, yet trendy German brand that was not afraid to listen to the times and always adapt to the present. Later, a sub-brand was founded that promoted and continues to promote freedom in interior design to this day.
The business trend of the era was to produce furniture that was as simple and cheap as possible, and beanbag chairs and chaise lounges were also popular. However, the German master upholsterer nevertheless opted for more expensive and higher-quality pieces, constantly searching for new materials and innovations to incorporate into his collections. In 1971, he exhibited at the Cologne Furniture Fair, and fortunately, the world economy was booming, so there were those who could afford his pieces in accordance with his new slogan: “living at its best.” Benz did not let his profits go to waste, he recycled them and bought an upholstery factory in Motzingen to prove to the world that you can’t just make a fortune with cheap and shoddy furniture.
In the 50s and 60s, the living room could only be imagined in one way: with a coffee table in the middle, a sofa on one side, and two armchairs opposite it. This was the accepted way, it was the way to receive guests and represent yourself at home. It never occurred to Rolf Benz to group the furniture differently. Or rather, it occurred to him, who started a small furniture-making business in the Black Forest town of Nagold in 1964. ADDIFORM was not only a collection, but also a philosophy that showed people that the 70s were a new era, and that it was possible to live differently: comfortably, without having to conform to others.
Globe-trotting furniture is the messenger of freedom
The 80s were about social equality and freedom, people were becoming more individualistic, and tourism was also on the rise. Benz also recognized these processes, and he was the first to photograph his furniture in unusual locations. The furniture was freed from artificial interiors and could end up in a theater, a museum, a cliff in Santorini, or even in Gaudí's Park Güell in Barcelona, if it looked good there. The advertising campaigns had a huge impact, and Rolf Benz was singled out from its competitors.
By the 90s, the brand was already widely known, becoming the most coveted German home furnishing brand, so the time had come to expand abroad: first in Switzerland, the Benelux countries and Austria, and then in the rest of the world. One of their sofas even became a central element on television, they built a show on the Forum 255 sofa, Die rote Couch, or The Red Sofa. In the 2000s, the brand celebrated its 40th anniversary, and on this occasion they launched their DONO collection. But they also launched several highly successful products during the decade, such as the PLURA and MIO models or the EGO sofa.
The freestyle Rolf Benz is born
The coolness of the 2010s inspired the brand to have a little brother, the freestyle Rolf Benz for young people, which celebrates creativity. At the same time, they stepped out of the realm of seating furniture and now also started producing beds. They also furnished the Lufthansa business lounge, the Business Senator Lounge, at London's Heathrow Airport.
Of course, they also paid attention to basic products, which is how they were able to receive the German Design Award in 2018 for their modular luxury sofa system, Nuvola. They also opened the 2020s with several successful designs, and due to their intensively growing Asian customer base, they also set foot there: in early 2020, they opened their first flagship store in Tokyo, which was soon followed by the one in Shanghai. (In Budapest, the brand can be found in the Human Design Studio range in the MaxCity Home Furnishings Shopping Center.) In 2020, the German furniture industry created its own trademark, Rolf Benz was the first manufacturer to use “Furniture Made in Germany”, assuring its customers that the pieces are made entirely in Germany, based on local quality standards.
