ZE Sofa
Reintroduction of an iconic design exhumed from the Karimoku Furniture archive '82 through the eyes of Lichen.
Originally designed in early 1980s for Karimoku Furniture, the ZE Sofa had been out of production for decades until it was rediscovered and revived by Lichen, a New York-based design incubator/furniture design studio.
In January 2025 at Karimoku Research Center in Tokyo, Lichen and Karimoku Furniture reveal a design that brings Lichen's distinct perspective into a sofa collection.
"When it comes to furniture design, you sometimes have to get as close to the origin as possible. We always look back at past designs to see how we can reinterpret them for contemporary ways of living. Taking a sofa from the 1980s and making it feel timeless in 2025 shows how tradition can evolve into something new and relevant."
— Ed Be and Jared Blake of Lichen
Lichen, co-founded by Ed Be and Jared Blake in Brooklyn, NY in 2017, is a design incubator and studio centered around furniture, spatial design, and the discovery of how Lichen interact with these elements--past and present.
The idea of Re:issue comes from Lichen’s beginnings as vintage purveyors of home goods. While Lichen continues to create new designs, Lichen often think about how the past, present and future of the home come together to create a balance of style and comfort.
Karimoku Re:issue Creative Directors
While touring Karimoku’s showroom which highlights their history of craftsmanship through decades, Lichen noticed the ZE sofa tucked between two main floors. Lichen knew instantly that we had to bring this design back. The techniques used on this sofa were incredibly 80s, yet also very contemporary at the same time - a perfect marriage between timelessness and versatility. It was originally designed for meeting rooms for companies, but Lichen has made subtle revisions to make it a necessity for the home.
1982
2025
ZE Sofa, originally released in 1982 by Karimoku Furniture
Crafted in Japan in 1982, this Italian-inspired sofa blends refined design with exceptional craftsmanship.
The Sofa’s original name was ZE9650GJ. "Z" indicates upholstered items, "E" signifies the Italian modern design series, Numbers starting with "9" were for high-end items. The ZE sofa, featured in the 1982 catalog and produced from 1982 to 1988, was designed for receptions and boardrooms.
Featuring clean lines and balanced proportions, it offers timeless comfort in both leather and upholstered options. The versatility of the ZE sofa collection allows it to work effortlessly in both home and office settings. - A quiet statement piece that reflects the enduring quality of vintage Japanese manufacturing paired with European elegance.
With keen eyes on vintage furniture, Lichen reminded Karimoku Furniture of a sofa design that was forgotten in the past.
The differential feed stitching technique, which was popular in 1980s and used on ZE sofa collection, creates gathers along the seams. The reissue of the ZE sofa marks the revival of this method, which is highly technical, especially when working with leather.
Rediscovering Karimoku’s techniques through Lichen's perspective will be the collaboration’s true strength.
