Fritz Hansen

Fritz Hansen was founded in 1872 by the namesake cabinetmaker. Since that time, the company has established itself as an integral part of Danish and international design. The brand, which in the 2000s changed its identity to The Republic of Fritz Hansen, contributes “beautifully shaped and functional furniture that seamlessly meet through the use of innovative techniques and new materials.” In the early part of the twentieth century, Christian E. Hansen, son of Fritz Hansen, experimented with steam bending beech—an experiment that led to some of the first bent wood pieces and that made the company leaders in laminate wood furniture. Fritz Hansen also launched the first Danish steel furniture.

• Egg Chair— One of two iconic products designed for Fritz Hansen by Arne Jacobsen, the Egg Chair is renowned the world over for its luscious curves and dramatic back. Along with his Swan Chair, Jacobsen’s Egg Chair is a classic mid-century style icon. In fact, the decade of the 1950s can be said to belong to Arne Jacobsen, who created both lounge chairs for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Created like a piece of sculpture by starting with a clay mold, the Egg Chair came into being thanks to a strong foam inner shell. The recognizable shape of the lounge seat affords users a measure of privacy even in public spaces. Egg Chair sits on a star-shaped base of satin polished aluminum.
• Swan Chair— Designed for the Hotel Copenhagen, which featured only strong horizontal and vertical lines, the Swan Chair features “no straight lines—only curves.” The sinuous sweep of the chair’s arms and back call to mind the gentle curve of a swan’s neck and body. Set on a star-shaped swivel base, Swan lets users scan the room and encourages conversation. Made with a molded shell of synthetic material with a layer of cold foam, Swan is inviting to sit in, given its supple construction.
• FAVN Sofa— Designed in 2011 by Spanish designer Jaime Hayón, FAVN sofa is sure to become as iconic as Arne Jacobsen’s Swan Sofa. Named FAVN after the Danish word for embrace, FAVN has no edges: “I wanted to create a form that embraces you, something really organic,” explains Hayón. Using a shell that rests on slim, elegant legs and an inner seat and back that rest on the shell, FAVN resembles the layers of an egg— “A shell, being hard on the outside, soft and welcoming on the inside. Protective and warm.” The designer presents FAVN in ten unique colors, from bold red and violet to subtle sage and taupe.

The Fritz Hansen style “is international and exudes class.” Each piece has a strong identity which is partly achieved through the company’s collaborations with famous designers and architects. The company’s aesthetic began as an altered version of German functionalism. Intended for “modern city dwellers and international businesses with a confident taste for elegance and underplayed luxury,” the Republic of Fritz Hansen welcomes people who want to make a statement.