Initiated by national membership-based organisation Interior Cluster Sweden, Beckmans College of Design, Swedish Wood, Swedish Design Movement, and Stockholms Auktionsverk, project manager Christine Ingridsdotter shares how the idea behind the exhibition is to increase visibility and awareness about the Swedish design industry.
— Both among domestic consumers and journalists and among the industry’s focus markets for export. The aim is to help them to find out more about and better understand how Sweden’s unlimited access to nature and forests, along with our values and sustainable approach, exemplifies and distinguishes Sweden as a unique design nation. During the week, 26 of Sweden’s leading players in the design industry together with young designers who are alumni from Beckmans College of Design showcase selected objects — both design icons and new pieces. World-leading corporations and centuries-old craft traditions will be shown side by side with successful designers and up and coming design stars.
What’s the status for the Swedish furniture and design industry in these days?
— Both difficult and not, depending on the pandemic. We see the new trend with people investing more in their home decor when working from and spending more time at home. The needs have changed which obviously creates new opportunities. If you are an interior design company selling to private consumers, your last year has probably been a good one, or even very good. For contract brands, there have been problems. All the fairs have been closed during the last year, and for an export-depending company — which most of the companies in our industry are — it’s been a tough year. You need to reach your clients, says Ingridsdotter.
— This vulnerability has made, or even forced, companies to change faster, to rethink, and to revalue. And, what we can see in our installation is that they are positive to support each other and their industry. They come together, show their products side by side, without any logos, and without any walls that separate them. This is a unique event. What a statement. I’m proud of our interior design industry.
The exhibition is open, with restrictions, at Stockholms Auktionsverk until Saturday, and also available through a virtual tour online here
