Ryde started working for the family business together with his parents back in 1988. Today, he’s the 5th generation CEO and owner of Hästens and now works alongside two of his sons on the brand’s next chapter.
— One of my first memories, he says, is walking around in the factory, built in 1948, in Köping, Sweden [1,5 hours west of Stockholm, Ed’s note] with my father. He pointed to the field behind the old factory and told me ’this is where you can build the new factory in the future’. In 1998, we built the extension there, and we used the same architect, Ralph Erskine, who designed the original building.
— When I joined the family business, the company was much smaller, and our beds were only available in Sweden. However, I saw just how much our customers appreciated and benefited from them and ever since taking over the company, my strategy has been to continue to serve people with love, joy, and gratitude. Our beds are now available in 46 countries and we are growing faster than ever before.
In 2020, Hästens teamed up with designer Ferris Rafauli on the Grand Vividus, which Ryde describes as one of the world’s most masterfully crafted beds. Last week, on March 22, the company commemorated its 170th anniversary with the launch of a new bed and headboard called drēmər.
— We are on a quest for constant learning and true mastery. This year marks our anniversary and introduces the next chapter of our story dedicated to ’drēmərs’. Pronounced as ’dreamers’, drēmərs are inspiring individuals who awaken to their inner greatness and live to turn their dreams into a reality. In a class of its own, this bed embodies six generations of dreams and mastery. We have developed this together with Ferris for over two years — he shares our commitment to uncompromising quality and function.
The bed is meticulously hand-built by master craftsmen in Köping. It’s upholstered with the unique woven fabric designed by Ferris Rafauli — based on the brand’s iconic horse insignia — which is the same fabric featured on the Grand Vividus. For the headboard, the velvet panels and side wings come in the same colours as the bed. As always, the materials used are the finest wool, cotton, flax, Swedish pine, and horsetail hair. Through a special Augmented Reality feature, everyone will be able to digitally visualize the drēmər bed wherever and whenever they choose to do so.
— Product development is crucial for us. We have to improve and innovate constantly. From a family standpoint, we are guardians of mastery and tradition. Just like my parents, grandfather, and great-grandfather, we are on a never-ending quest to provide greater and greater quality and value to serve our customers better and better, in order to offer the best sleep experience in the world, Ryde concludes.
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