Design for everyone

Børge Mogensen, Poul Volther, Eyvind A. Johansson and Jørgen Bækmark. Back in the day it was these Danish design icons that made sure that the average Danish family had a nice set of plates, furniture, etc.

All of them started out as new and young designers at FDB, (associated Danish consumer cooperative, now known as Coop), which had a history of producing their own products. Now, two young designers from Design School Kolding will carry on this history.

Furniture Designer Stine L. Weigelt and Textile Designer Gitte Lægård will help create new designs for Coop. Gitte, who graduated last year, will design a series of kitchen textiles to match the “Enkel” line. Stine, who graduated two years ago, will create a multi-functional piece of furniture for the bedroom, the hallway, or for sitting.

New forces
- We must dare to give new talents a chance. That’s what they did with Børge Mogensen. He was only 29 and almost completely unknown when he started as a furniture designer at FDB, says Ole Kiel from Coop to the magazine Samvirke.

Together with Coop, the magazine Samvirke has taken on two designers selected by Design School Kolding, which will also guide them for the duration of the project. Right now, the two designers are busy working on their projects at Design School Kolding. Stine’s project is inspired by round poles, which are very distinct for FDB furniture:

- I’m trying to get to know the round pole and challenge it. This will make the design modern without eliminating the history, she explains.

Gitte wants to leave a new mark on the brand’s design traditions.

- As opposed to furniture, Coop does not have a long history when it comes to textile design. So I looked to the old posters for inspiration. I have thought about their graphic expression and why they are still nice to look at. You know, I want my design to last just as long, she says.

The new designs will be launched later this year. Coop plans to make the textiles available in their shops this autumn, and hopefully the new multifunctional furniture piece will be launched towards the end of the year. The magazine Samvirke will bring an article about the project in their March issue.