Fritz Hansen

A FAMILY CREATION

Fritz Hansen, then a Danish cabinetmaker, founded his interior design brand in 1872 with a workshop in Copenhagen. In 1899, his son Christian E. Hansen took over the reins of the company at the age of 25. Together, the two men set the quality standards that still apply to the Fritz Hansen brand today.

In 1915, Fritz Hansen introduced its first steam-bent wooden chair. In 1930, Fritz Hansen became one of the world's leading manufacturers of veneered wood. From 1905 onwards, the company began collaborating with designers.

Arne Jacobsen & Fritz Hansen

In 1934, the company began its unmissable collaboration with designer Arne Jacobsen. The result was to be nothing but positive for the brand, as it enabled the publisher to gain definitive international recognition.

1958 saw the birth of the Egg armchair, as well as the Swan armchairs and Swan sofas designed for Copenhagen's Royal Hotel. At the time, the Egg armchair was designed to provide privacy for guests in the hotel's halls and lounges.

This association with Arne Jacobsen gave rise to many other pieces, such as the Fourmi chair in 1952, with its minimalist design reminiscent of an ant with its head raised; or the Série 7 chair in 1955. Today, these two chairs are considered icons of Scandinavian design. What they have in common is that both chairs feature nine layers of die-cast veneer for added strength.

OTHER KEY COLLABORATIONS

Fritz Hansen also works with contemporary designers such as Jaime Hayon, and scouts out new talent. This strategy allows the brand to renew itself, whether by collaborating with young designers or renowned designers. Each of the new pieces created respects the brand's history and origins. Among the publisher's flagship models, the Favn sofa by Jaime Hayon (derived from the Danish word for “to embrace”), offers quality workmanship with a blend of three different textiles on the seat.

Country of origin: Denmark