Design in Stockholm
To call oneself a "designer" is ranked as one of the elite professions in Stockholm. The artistic freedom and social ranking it entails is something many people dream of. To be the one who decides what's in or out is a powerful position in style-conscious Stockholm.
The design colleges and courses are always packed with struggling hopefuls who dream of one day being the one who designs that particular item "everybody" gets. The selection of designer things is therefore huge and if you're lucky you can discover one-of-a-kind items for a meager price.
You can find every type of design in Stockholm. Everything from progressive sportswear to food design to furniture to jewelry is represented in abundance. The sky is the limit, but most designers seem to fashion their ideas from distant stars and worlds. Nobody has seen anything like it, yet it speaks to the masses. Now that's talent.
Scavenging for designer originals is not for everybody though, some enjoy a gallery stroll with a glass of wine instead. Well, Stockholm is truly the right place for that too.
What makes Swedish design so spectacular is mainly the fact that it's completely different. The influences range from New York to Paris to Moscow to Mumbai, and because Stockholmers in general are a well travelled bunch, many designers have hands-on experience with other cultures, and their implementations of them thereby feel totally genuine. This, combined with the modern and chilled feel of Swedish design makes for an excellent combination. Remember, design season is every season. Enjoy!
An example of the greatly influential style that has entered
into the homes of many Stockholmers. In this case, warm colors combined with
straight lines and selective decorations.
Design for the year 2005
Take a look at what the design year was all about and why so many small pieces of art decorate the city.
Swedish designers
Some of the people that have made headlines in the Swedish design world and why.
Where to buy Swedish design
Ikea is a huge company for a reason, Swedish design surpasses the masses and will have you wanting more than you can carry home.