After spending last week at 3daysofdesign it’s safe to say I have lots of amazing news and reviews to share with you. But I wanted to start with something very special indeed, my chat with the Creative Director of Fritz Hansen, Els Van Hoorebeeck.
Belgian-born Els took up her role with this much-loved Danish design company last October following five years at &Tradition, and since then I’ve been lucky enough to interview her for a number of publications, so as you can imagine it was with great excitement that I caught up with her once again at the Restaurant Orangeriet in Copenhagen’s King’s Garden.
Here’s what Els had to tell me:
It’s hard to believe your still only in your first year as Creative Director at Fritz Hansen, but what have been your highlights so far?
It’s certainly been quite the eight months, but I am now feeling like I have a good understanding of the company and of the brand, as well as where we’ve been, and where we are heading.
When I first took up my role, I went to visit all our different markets to understand our customers better as well as visit designers and architects to get a feel for how the brand is perceived. When you’re unpicking over 150 years of design history there is a lot to take in, but I wanted to look at it differently.
Now at this year’s 3daysofdesign we are in a position to not only celebrate what has gone before but show that there’s a change happening. Don’t worry it’s nothing radical, but we are easing into a different time, a new chapter.
As someone who has lived and worked in several countries, as well as travelled extensively, what for you sets Danish design apart?
For me, the enduring qualities of Danish design, and especially what we do at Fritz Hansen, is based around craftsmanship and innovation, exploring the ongoing dialogue between tradition and progress.
For example, younger brands look at pieces in our collection and use them as a starting point, while heritage brands like us then see what is being created by these talented individuals and feel inspired to try something new. It’s a continuous circle, and one can’t exist without the other.
In terms of new pieces, can you tell us a more about what Fritz Hansen are showcasing this week at 3daysofdesign?
Firstly, there’s the After Series, a solid wooden chair and table by the London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades. It is the perfect synergy between the brand and him as a designer. He has a very minimal, timeless design language, yet it’s so detailed that you are continually discovering more, from the supportive curve of the Ash backrest, the scoop of the plywood seat, to the square shape of the legs and how they precisely meet the table top, it really emphasises perfectly where we have come from, how we work with our heritage, and at the same time where we are heading.
We also have Solae by Cecilie Manz, and I personally love her Bang & Olufsen language, so think that this is a perfect example of what a portable light from Fritz Hansen should be, its architectural, versatile and technically robust enough to be used indoor and outdoor, both in residential and commercial settings.
And then we have the PK3, a previously unrealised stacking chair by Danish master Poul Kjærholm which was first conceived in 1954 but archived before completion, this really is the cherry on the cake. It’s so good to be able to show more of his early work and how he grew as a designer, I think there’s such an amazing story attached to him and his work.
At this year’s event Fritz Hansen have headed out of the showroom. How important was it for you to take the brand on to the city’s streets?
Design is about emotion so we’re focusing on bringing back tactility in the way we communicate about the brand. So, firstly at our flagship store visitors can experience our 153-year evolution in a sensory way. Demonstrating how our designs are made to be cherished, repaired, and passed on there are archive pieces as well as previews of upcoming releases, live demonstrations by our incredible craftspeople, through to how to care and repair for our products.
Meanwhile here at our pop-up in Restaurant Orangeriet, guests get to immerse themselves in the world of Fritz Hansen in a more relaxed way. Reflecting the warmth and comfort central to our hospitality universe, the pieces here will be staying after the event too so visitors can reconnect with the brand time and time again.
Finally, how will Fritz Hansen now take what’s been presented at 3daysofdesign out into the world, what can we look forward to seeing next?
Come September when all our new additions go on sale we will be introducing them into our showrooms, and plans are already underway to host something very special in London, Michael’s home city. We will also be running a number of campaigns around our new Series 7 Tailored which draws on Italian expertise to show our much-loved chair in a guise reminiscent of a luxury handbag or saddle, as well as the front-upholstered PK3, so I think it will be another busy few months.
Want to know more?
Thanks again to Els for chatting with me, hopefully we can catch up again soon. To find out more about Fritz Hansen, and the products featured in this post, visit their website.
Images 7,8 and 9 by Nicola Capper, all other images courtesy of Fritz Hansen.
Enjoyed this post? Then read my chat with Cecilie Manz, and find out more about her Monolit dining and lounge chairs created in collaboration with Fritz Hansen.
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