Scandinavia’s leading design event, the Stockholm Furniture Fair, took place again last week showcasing a wealth of exciting and emerging talent. Here are five of our top selections.
The Älvsjö Gård Showcase at Stockholm Furniture Fair brought together an exciting selection of design talent. Photography @ Stockholm Furniture Fair
Words by Roddy Clarke
With a long heritage spanning over 70 years, the annual Stockholm Furniture Fair is renowned as one of Scandinavia’s most prominent design platforms. Bringing together a wealth of talent from the region, as well as partnering with global designers and studios, this year’s show continued to spotlight sustainable innovation alongside the implementation of digital technology. From VR installations to craft-led, circular initiatives and a diverse array of new product launches, the show felt optimistic with brands and designers displaying a passion to facilitate change from social and environmental perspectives.
An exhibition titled Farming Architects, curated by Jordens Arkitekter, took place inside the halls, showcasing a crossover between sustainable architecture and regenerative agriculture, while The Museum of Masonite by Folkform addressed the need to refocus on small-scale local production. Curated areas of emerging design, Greenhouse and Älvsjö Gård, both returned bringing a wealth of promising talent to the forefront while the playful Surface Club installation by Lab La Bla included a mini golf course, made in partnership with Bolon. Minus Furniture displayed a neon yellow furniture collection to acquaint visitors with its carbon-negative business model in a curated circular design showcase by Omhu, while exhibiting alongside Variable, a software development studio helping manufacturers to easily measure the carbon footprint of each product made.
Farming Architects, curated by Jordens Arkitekter, drew attention to sustainable architectural practices. Photography @ Stockholm Furniture Fair
With this just a glimpse into the variety of projects on display, thanks to the thoughtful leadership of the fair’s current director Hanna Nova, it was inspiring to see smaller studios and independent talents standing out on such an international platform. Here are five that impressed us:
Laura Casañas Maya
The Cord Table by Laura Casañas Maya. Photography @ Laura Casañas Maya
Born in Cali, Columbia, Maya graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. With her practice looking at the application of a variety of materials, her woven furniture designs which she displayed at the fair was the first time her work had been exhibited on an international level. Taking inspiration from the craft of passementerie, her colourful creations caught our eye with a unique combination of materials and hues coming together exquisitely.
Gustaf Westman
Gustaf Westman showcased a wide array of his colourful pieces as part of the New Ventures exhibition at Stockholm Furniture Fair. Photography @ Andy Liffner
After founding his studio in 2020, the Stockholm-based designer has been turning heads within the design world thanks to his playful aesthetics and vibrant colour palettes. Displaying his works in a mirrored pavilion, as part of the Fair’s New Ventures showcase, visitors entered Westman’s world with the interiors featuring a wide variety of his pieces set against his own unique wall mural.
Christoph Hauf
The HUB Table by Christoph Hauf. Photography @ Christoph Hauf
With a contemporary, sleek aesthetic to his work, the HUB table by the Stuttgart-based designer stood out. It’s minimal profile and matte black stained oak finish boasts an elevated ambiance while doubling as both a dining table and desk. The designer also showcased his HIRO tables, DELTA lamp and SLACK hanging wardrobe, with each piece paying testament to Hauf’s superb attention to detail.
Sizar Alexis
The Lahmu collection by Sizar Alexis, pictured here in Atelier Ecru Gallery. Photography @ Tijs Vervecken.
One of Alexis’ most recent collections, Lahmu, was on display at the fair as part of the Älvsjö Gård showcase. Designed during lockdown in 2021, the sculptural pieces take inspiration from bunkers, alluding to his Iraqi heritage and how his family sought refuge in a room functioning as a bunker in the home. With the pandemic-imposed lockdown drawing parallels to being isolated inside the home, the collection is named after a Mesopotamian protective deity to ward off demons and sickness.
Anna Herrmann
Fifty shades of Rotkohl, 2024, by Anna Herrmann, in partnership with String Furniture. Photography @ String Furniture
As part of Ung Svensk Form, a platform which showcases emerging talent from the region, Anna Herrmann launched her new project, Fifty Shades of Rotkohl, at the fair. Exploring alternatives to traditional dyes which often have negative environmental impacts, the designer created wood stains from ingredients such as red cabbage, turmeric, and algae. Alongside the project, Herrmann collaborated with String Furniture, as part of the company’s scholarship program, allowing the designer to take the concept to a prototype stage by creating bespoke shelving for the iconic String Furniture shelving system. “I wanted to create an alternative to traditional dyes, something solvent-free without the microplastics released into the environment during the aging process of conventional dye,” Herrmann states. “I was inspired by the ancient art of dyeing textiles with natural ingredients and developed a method that also works for dyeing wood.”
Discover other exhibitors and highlights from this year’s fair here.
Get a curated collection of design and architecture news in your inbox by signing up to our ICON Weekly newsletter
