For the second time the new design week in Stockholm filled the streets with activities. Here is a short review.
Stockholm Creative Edition had it’s second run in May. The first edition happened in September 2021 and was extremely successful. My expectations were super high. The creative forces of the event managed to shake Stockholm in September and the streets were filled with people looking at design and creativity.
This second edition was a little slower. Competition from non-listed events, nice weather etc were high. The first session blew our minds, and this second version is absolutely OK, but a little thin of news. Perhaps for a more interesting conversation?
I am of course very much involved. I had the opportunity to inaugurate the week and also participated with an exhibition.
I want to point out two things. This design week in Stockholm is not necessarily about new products. It’s about creativity. Hence the name Stockholm Creative Edition. But you can’t really avoid expecting new things. From a list of perhaps almost 100 launches and events, maybe only ten, twenty were about new products. Again – maybe this is something we need to handle. Why constantly launch new things?
Of all the things launched during this week, there is one event I missed and it really bothers me. New talent Gustav Wisth made new objects together with Tarkett and I would really like to have seen that. Two interesting players in this fiels. But alas…
My week started with the opening. I was invited to host the first day and it happened to be at Contem. A super interesting brand which is making furniture out of waste materials from construction sites. Cost-efficient and resourceful.
Some of these pieces have been launched previously in February, but still very interesting.
From Sundsvall we have Bonni Bonne. Two super sweet women who are dedicated to use interesting designers and production. A whole new collection was launched with Danish designers Norm Architects.
Swedish brand Bebo Objects launched on February. A very interesting Swedish brand. Working with the best designers in Sweden like Pierre Sindre and David Ericsson thay have made pieces that can work both outdoor and inside. The green seating arrangement is supposed to remind you of a “berså” or arbor in English.
Cream is a new platform that were launced this week. Almost like a gallery space for galleries. Stockholm have a lo of new galleries right now. Sebastian Schild, Galleri Glas, Coulisse Gallery, The Ode To, Arranging Things etc, etc and of course Designgalleriet.
Not only galleries were represented but also individual designers like Folkform. Färg & Blanche, Alexander Lervik etc.
The space is temporary and closed during the weekend but will come back. An interesting format.
Here you could find pieces but craft superstar Hanna Hansdotter.
Daniel Enoksson and David Ericsson for Designgalleriet.
At Designgalleriet we showed a new collection with focus on graphical design, glass and LGBTQ… More about this later.
Vernissage talking…
Swedish furniture brand Swedese had an exibition with contemporary craft and design.
Also Swedish brand Gärsnäs had opened up their showroom at Skeppsholmen.
I think colour brand Toniton is extremely interesting. Working with ten or so suppliers they can colour coordinate your kitchen or bathroom. Just very, very innovative. They had a get together as well during this week, but no real news.
Part of the creative week was a hub at Sveavägen. Here one could see a selection of design students from the last five years, but also the graduates from Malmstens School of Design. But I am doing my school report later.
Same thing with Beckmans School of Design. Also this week. And of course Konstfack Master’s graduates. But that is for later.
Besides all these exhibitions that were part of the official guide of events, May is a busy season with lots of other launches. I visited launches of new sunglasses, new tableware, a new kitchen, a new showroom, etc, etc. It’s a busy season and these events are NOT part of the official list of events for Stockholm Creative Edition.
So a week like this… Lots of running around and cocktails. It’s growing. I like how we are slowly moving from constant launch of new stuff and instead we do other things. Stockholm Creative Edition. This is not a week where you will find 100 new chairs but perhaps a new conversation. I like that idea.