I can completely understand why the current fashion and interiors trend for white bouclé has come to be. In these hard, scary times is it any wonder we desire to be comforted, cosseted and kept all snuggly, floating away on a cloud of bouncy, white fabric? We will not look back on this period as a moment for studs, spiked heels and shoulder pads but cashmere loungewear and soft-as-you-like puffer coats.
Whether bouclé-wrapped sofa or warm shearling shacket, bobbly clutch bag or fluffy pillow, many appear to be finding some solace in creamy cuddly fabrics they choose to wear on their skin and fill their homes with. It’s a tactile, chic and understated trend that started with soft furnishings, particularly during the ’70s, but you’ll find pieces dating back to the 1940s too.
White and off-white bouclé has been used by many an iconic furniture designer to create the most luxurious-looking of sofas, and you’ll find some key vintage styles (such as a modular sofa by Mario Bellini or the Siamese Sofa by Pietro Franchescini) going for tens of thousands of pounds right now. Those with ample budgets and perhaps interior designers to help source said goods are injecting the look into their homes in a big way: Elsa Hosk’s huge corner sofa is really something to behold.
Some modern furniture purveyors even specialise in covering existing pieces in, you guessed it, fresh white bouclé. I discovered Stringer Brothers thanks to Virginia Norris, the co-founder of super PR agency Aisle 8, and the quilted pouffe she shared on Instagram. A “bouclé cloud” she described it as on her post (now who wouldn’t want that?). Meanwhile, arbiter of style, Alex Eagle has started stocking squidgy bouclé sofas from Eagle Hodges over at her shopping mecca, The Store.
If having a home peppered with white bouclé furniture sounds like a flat-white coffee explosion waiting to happen then let me guide you towards the fashion end of this trend spectrum. COS’s snuggly shearling bag became an Instagram hit in mere moments at the tail-end of last year, and we’ve been crossing our fingers and toes for a restock. Sure, it’s an entirely impractical addition to our day-to-day lives right now, but what else is there to enjoy?
There are more useful iterations of the trend for your wardrobe: a borg jacket or coat, for example, will always be a sensible choice on cold winter days. Maybe you’ll appreciate a more Y2K approach and try swapping in a bouclé bucket hat instead of a beanie or opt for a teddy fleece instead of a regular knit.
Want in on the feel-good trend of 2021? Then keep scrolling to shop out the best white bouclé pieces for both your home and your closet.
