Swedish Styles in Tokyo 2007

Yeah! The stylish Swedes are coming! And they are ALL OVER this year’s Design Week in Tokyo! Be it with several funky design parts, or stylish fashion exhibits (and they know how to throw a party!) at DesignTide, 100% Design, and Design Touch… Moreover, this year, they dedicated a special exhibition to hot Swedish youngsters called UNG at Tokyo’s MARUCUBE (info below). So, what makes Swedish design so special? PingMag asked UNG curator Karin Wiberg about its very nature…

Written by Verena

First, let’s be a bit general: If you look back at the last few years, how would you briefly explain the main tendencies in Swedish design?

Young Swedish designers seem to have more patience today: It is more important to know about handicrafts and to learn about materials and skills. Also, the young designers don’t want to be placed into categories, preferring to try different kinds of design and art areas. Their work comes from their hearts, putting a lot of emotion into their art. I think that is what makes them recognised internationally. Traditionally, many designers have also written articles, books and started debates. Swedish designers want to go their own way.

Regarding UNG, can you spot any common trait?

I can see that they are very talented in their design handicraft, and the objects in the UNG exhibition obviously have lots of working hours behind them…

…and certainly a fresh approach! It seems to me that since 2000 there has been an effort in Swedish design to move away from minimalism and simplicity to rougher, tougher forms. For example, the weird shaped vases from Uglycute… Did they succeed?

I think they have, the design climate in Sweden is very open right now. I have the feeling that a couple of years ago the borders began opening up, and the line between design and art has become blurred. Also, the public seems to be more open to hearing about all kinds of creative expression.

From 100% Design: Catarina Giarimi’s ‘CARIBBEAN’ apron lightens up your cold, wintry kitchen with colours. Courtesy of Giarimi.

Also 100% Design: Cute traditions with Giarimi’s ‘FEAST:’ These textile-inspired engravings will make your glass of ¥100 sake seem elegant. Courtesy of Giarimi.

As UNG is presenting new, hot designers, how is their approach different in terms of concepts, materials, and so on, compared to more established designers?

At UNG, they go their own way without any pressure from the producers’ side: You find a broad assortment of functional and non-functional projects, as well as challenging contributions or ones offering social critique. You can feel the innovative energy! And I think, the stories of how objects originated are often as important as the objects themselves…

This exhibition tries to give an overview of upcoming graphics, product and fashion design. If you had to name the main design output of Sweden, what would it be?

There are a lot of very talented young Swedish graphic designers, most of them being educated at Konstfack, the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, in Stockholm. I think that´s one of the best schools you can go to if you want to have a good basis. You can also see a lot of graphic designers trying different kinds of film projects, patterns for fabrics, or other media. They are quite open minded with that.

I also noticed that lace, which can be found in such new work as “Virk” by Nina Roeraade, seem to be a great part of Swedish tradition. Is this another tendency, to go back to traditional handcrafts?

I’m so glad that you have noticed this about traditions in UNG! You can also see that in the “GUNGSTOL 2/Rocking Chair” from Moa Jantze. And for example, Ida Wanler is playing with traditions with her “Memento” table and her “Glamorous by night” lamp. You will definitely see more of this in the future - that´s also what I meant when I said that young Swedish designers have more patience today: They are more serious about the handicraft.

And the “PINGISBORD - Don´t Feed The Swedes” by Andreas Aaltonen and Gustav Kjellin has such a funny, ironic approach. What’s the title about?

They tried to actually make a table consisting only of table tennis balls. Very humorous! I always thought about a zoo where you have these “Don’t feed” signs in front of the animals - maybe Swedes are like animals in their eyes…

A summer breeze! A part of the Fashion Sweden event, House of Dagmar is showing its touch-and-go-retro springtime collection. Courtesy of House of Dagmar.

I spotted a burglar in Pour apparel at the Swedish Fashion event! How chic… Courtesy of Pour.

Lastly, I was always wondering: Why does fashion play such an obvious role within the Swedish design field, with Stockholm being the centre of fashion hipsterdom?

There are a lot of young talented fashion designers that are pushed by the media, the shops, etc. – what I mean is that, today, it is very popular to be a fashion designer in Sweden and that gives people more confidence to try an international career as well. It is also natural to live abroad some years and most designers are planning that, after their education, they often have lots of international contacts.

Global thinking designers! Awesome! Thank you, Karin of UNG. See you this Friday at the UNG party in the Marunouchi Building, 7th floor!

Info:
UNG exhibition at MARUCUBE,
Marunouchi Building 1F, 2-4-1 Marunouchi,
close to Tokyo Station. Map.
Running through this Sunday, November 4th, 2007.
Open: 11am to 9pm.
This Friday, November 2nd:
Talk show with Swedish Style founder Ewa Kumlin at 6pm on 1F;
party from 7.30pm on the 7th floor.
Entry: Free.

10 Comments

1. Nice to learn about Swedish design on a Japanese site! :-) I like the rocker, with the traditional Swedish pattern on it.

   Posted by: Pethra på Inredningsbloggen on November 1st, 2007 at 11:24 pm

2. I want that digital clock! Though it would probably look better in matt white rather than ‘porno’ gold.

   Posted by: Eduardo on November 2nd, 2007 at 1:04 am

3. I have visited your site 492-times

   Posted by: Visitor077 on November 2nd, 2007 at 11:16 am

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   Posted by: Visitor244 on November 2nd, 2007 at 11:19 am

6. I have visited your site more than 500-times

   Posted by: Visitor078 on November 2nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm

7. I’m not surprised to see swedish design in Japan. We have always been close to the design aestetichs of the japanese culture.

   Posted by: JD on November 2nd, 2007 at 5:13 pm

8. [...] Αυτή η πολυθρόνα (ας την πούμε έτσι) σχεδιάστηκε από τον Mikael Ling. Το όνομά της είναι Bourgogne (δείτε περισσότερα εδώ). [...]

   Posted by: Σπίτι μου, σπιτάκι μου » Πολυθρόνα..; on November 15th, 2007 at 7:01 pm

9. it is very interesting english style ..

   Posted by: kurye on February 22nd, 2008 at 4:17 am

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