Sophie Conran launches her new sofa collection

Sophie Conran sat on a blue striped sofa with dogs
Lucy Scott,-Senior Editor

We’ve collaborated with the design guru on the exclusive Cocobella sofa range

We’re delighted to announce a brand new collaboration with celebrated designer Sophie Conran: the launch of the Cocobella sofa range, exclusive to John Lewis.

The new collection, which you can shop here, marks a significant milestone in our 20-year partnership together, and follows the launch of Sophie’s beloved Portmeirion porcelain range.

The Cocobella range combines Sophie’s signature joyful design with the unparalleled quality and craftsmanship for which we’re best known. Each sofa in the collection is proudly handmade in Lancashire by skilled craftspeople with over 50 years of experience. The sofas feature luxurious seat, back and side cushions with easy-to-remove, machine-washable covers, ensuring elegance, practicality and longevity.

To celebrate the collection, we sat down with Sophie (yes, on the Cocobella itself) to find out more.

White dog sat on green and white striped armchair
Green and white striped armchair

Congratulations on the 20-year partnership, we’re delighted to have collaborated with you again.

“Isn’t it wonderful, I’ve been working with John Lewis since 2005 and it’s been phenomenal. I love the John Lewis values, the customer service and our customer profile is aligned, so it always feels like such a natural fit.”

Can you talk us through the inspiration for this strong stripe collection?

“I love a stripe. I’ve been doing a lot with candy stripes and circus tent stripes for quite a long time. I also love pattern and feel like there just isn’t enough of it – people like to play it safe with neutrals, but pattern can bring so much joy to the home. I’m often inspired by my beautiful garden, so many of the my patterns feature florals and nature. I like bringing the outside in to make your space feel homely, comfortable and full of joy.”

Sophie Conran sat on a striped white and red sofa with a dog

The sofa is such a huge investment in any house. Tell us about yours?

“Most people spend a lot of time on the sofa – it’s a place where you sit, relax, bring up your babies – it really sees so much life through all the laughter and tears. 

I’ve been very lucky to have had all sorts of incredible people on my sofa, from popstars, film stars, artists and politicians to writers, fashion designers, bee keepers, garden designers, TV personalities and many, many pets! Am I precious about my sofa? I’m not, it’s there to be used and enjoyed. I very much think it must be a place of comfort. A sofa is like an enveloping hug in a way so it’s worth taking time to really consider how it’s been made and what materials have been used. It’s a big investment because it’s something you’re going to live with for a long time.”

You’ve created a range of loose covers for the Cocobella sofa range which is incredibly sustainably-minded, as it means you can change the look of a sofa without having to buy a brand new one. Was that always the plan?

“Absolutely. I think now more than ever it’s important to be as sustainable as possible. We work with the best companies and materials and all the sofas have been made in Northamptonshire in the UK, so they’re not whizzing all over the planet.

The fact the sofas all come with a 25 year guarantee also gives the buyer a sense of confidence, because although they are at the more expensive end of the scale, they are going to last.”

What are your top tips for decorating a room with a sofa in it?

“Everybody is different, so I think do what is right for you – but the way I approach decorating a room is to gather as much visual information as possible. I make mood boards, storyboards, pinterest boards and put everything I like onto them – from fabric samples, carpet swatches and paint charts to flowers, family photos or things I’ve seen on holiday that I love. Then when I can see it all in one place, I eliminate the bits that don’t feel quite right and am left with an essence of what I want to achieve. 

It’s important to remember each room is different based on its orientation and you get different light, different aspects, different moods. So colours will work differently depending on which room you’re decorating. I keep my mood boards in the room I’m decorating and look at them daily for as long as possible – instinctively you know which you get bored of or which don’t work. So those are removed and you’re left with a clear palette. For me it’s really about emotion and how it makes me feel. Home is your bricks and mortar but it’s also a concept and we all have an individual way of perceiving it and what we want to create.”

Sophie Conran sat on a light blue sofa

Speaking of homes, yours is the stunning 200-year-old Grade-II listed Salthrop House. What was it like renovating such a historical space?

“It was very interesting to say the least. It was owned by the same family for hundreds of years but they sold it in the 1980s to people who turned it into a hotel, so there were EXIT signs dotted around and a lot of very strange nylon carpet. They changed a lot for fire regulations and obviously didn’t have a big budget so everything was done quite badly. When we took ownership there were a lot of strange rooms: one was bright orange, one had pea green carpets and ceilings… The architecture of the house is so striking and pure that most of what I’ve done is take things out to restore it to its natural beauty.

I’ve loved adding my own pieces from my parents, auction houses and antique markets and now each room is very layered. I’ve done a lot of work in the garden and created more ‘rooms’ outside, because it hadn’t been touched for quite some time. Now I get to fill the house with flowers I’ve grown which really enhances everything. It’s quite beautiful.”

White dog sat on navy sofa
Navy sofa
Lucy Y Scott,-Senior Editor
We have collaborated with Collagerie’s founders and former Vogue editors to create a timeless capsule collection

In 2019, Vogue fashion editors Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood were lamenting over their morning coffee that they couldn’t find a website that cleverly curated fashion, interiors, beauty and lifestyle at every price point. The solution? They teamed up and created Collagerie, a curated shopping platform with a mission statement to ‘delight and inspire, finding you the one thing over everything’.  

Since then, Collagerie has delivered inspirational edits that have reignited a passion for shopping online. It has become a one-stop shop for elegant, fun items, showcasing everything from glassware by Petra Palumbo to skyscraper shoes by Chloe and artworks by both established and emerging artists from Kavel Rafferty to Nina Pace.

John Lewis is delighted to announce that we’ve collaborated with Collagerie to create a capsule collection featuring home and sleepwear inspired by designs selected from the John Lewis archives. Working closely with Lucinda and Serena, these archive documents have been restored and worked into products created by the John Lewis home design studio.

The collection launches on 1 September. Keep an eye on The Edit and our social media channels for behind the scenes footage and an interview with Lucinder and Serena.

The Cocobella Sofa Range is now available for preview at selected John Lewis locations, including Peter Jones, Edinburgh, Cheadle, High Wycombe and Cambridge. Customers are invited to experience the collection in person and appreciate the quality and comfort firsthand.

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