The Women Who Want to Revolutionize Swedish Design
In egalitarian Sweden, an exhibition has stirred up questions about design and gender
During Stockholm Design Week in February this year, a group of female designers came together under the name Misschiefs, creating an exhibition with this eyebrow-raising call for action: “The Misschiefs collection stands in opposition to the traditional, strict, contained and male-dominated design style that defines Swedishness in design.”
For international readers, this might seem surprising — is such a battle cry needed in one of the most gender-equal countries on earth? And is Swedish design male-dominated? With the exhibition booked to move on to Paris and Milan, we talk to the founder and to renowned Swedish female designers about the differences between male and female design, and how a better balance can be struck in the business.
For international readers, this might seem surprising — is such a battle cry needed in one of the most gender-equal countries on earth? And is Swedish design male-dominated? With the exhibition booked to move on to Paris and Milan, we talk to the founder and to renowned Swedish female designers about the differences between male and female design, and how a better balance can be struck in the business.
Designer Emma Marga Blanche with her Scream a Whisper stools, created for the Misschiefs exhibition. Photo by Kimberly Ihre
French-Swedish designer Emma Marga Blanche is one of the designers featured in the exhibition. “I was pregnant during the creative process, and it really influenced my work,” she says of her Misschiefs project. “I started with a desire to explore knitting, because it is the one specific craft that is related to motherhood and women in general, all generations combined.”
French-Swedish designer Emma Marga Blanche is one of the designers featured in the exhibition. “I was pregnant during the creative process, and it really influenced my work,” she says of her Misschiefs project. “I started with a desire to explore knitting, because it is the one specific craft that is related to motherhood and women in general, all generations combined.”
Photo by Kimberly Ihre
“I wanted to see what aesthetic could be explored with knitting and to put it in contrast with something hard, interlace it with something else,” she says. “So the idea of making a stool came up, something stable you can sit on, that your body can rely on. At the same time the stool took shape, my pregnant body changed form and this in turn changed my view on the project.”
“I wanted to see what aesthetic could be explored with knitting and to put it in contrast with something hard, interlace it with something else,” she says. “So the idea of making a stool came up, something stable you can sit on, that your body can rely on. At the same time the stool took shape, my pregnant body changed form and this in turn changed my view on the project.”
Misschiefs project artist Sara Szyber describes her Death Proof Cabinet in press materials as a “physical storage body of checkered, printed wood and curvaceous legs that wants to speak to the visitor. It deals with expression, materiality and resistance in my relation to the contemporary world.” Photo by Kimberly Ihre
“It is interesting to reflect upon why and how some categories of objects are highly gendered,” says Bjäringer, the exhibition curator. “It is time that women designers invade and take space in these often male-dominated design areas, as producers, thinkers, doers and buyers.”
“It is interesting to reflect upon why and how some categories of objects are highly gendered,” says Bjäringer, the exhibition curator. “It is time that women designers invade and take space in these often male-dominated design areas, as producers, thinkers, doers and buyers.”
Louise Hederström is a furniture designer based in Malmö, Sweden. Photo by Petra Bindel
Outside the Misschiefs project, many established Swedish female designers feel there is a need to shake up the market a bit. “There are old structures and patterns in the design business, which has been very male-dominated,” says Louise Hederström, who has worked with furniture and accessory brands Offecct, Skandiform, Kasthall, Maze and David Design.
“Maybe it’s some kind of tunnel vision. You employ someone like you, so if there are men in management, there’ll be male designers hired.”
Outside the Misschiefs project, many established Swedish female designers feel there is a need to shake up the market a bit. “There are old structures and patterns in the design business, which has been very male-dominated,” says Louise Hederström, who has worked with furniture and accessory brands Offecct, Skandiform, Kasthall, Maze and David Design.
“Maybe it’s some kind of tunnel vision. You employ someone like you, so if there are men in management, there’ll be male designers hired.”
The Tailor chair for Offecct, by Louise Hederström.
For Hederström, status symbol No. 1 in the design world is the chair. “As soon as you’ve done a chair for a major company – preferably one that’s stackable and will sell in the thousands – that’s when you are a designer,” she says. “When I did the Tailor chair for Offecct [pictured], things took off for me. It’s a bit funny that it’s the chair that’s taken on the design-icon status, but it has. And most chairs you can name have been designed by men.”
For Hederström, status symbol No. 1 in the design world is the chair. “As soon as you’ve done a chair for a major company – preferably one that’s stackable and will sell in the thousands – that’s when you are a designer,” she says. “When I did the Tailor chair for Offecct [pictured], things took off for me. It’s a bit funny that it’s the chair that’s taken on the design-icon status, but it has. And most chairs you can name have been designed by men.”
Swedish designer Nina Jobs says there is “definitely a difference in expression” between male and female design.
During Stockholm Design Week, Nina Jobs (pictured) and Stina Sandwall also showed their furniture collection at the Designgalleriet, a Stockholm gallery that features both young independent designers and established design companies. The theme of the exhibit was “Inhale Exhale – design that slows you down.”
Jobs is a Swedish designer who has worked in product and furniture design and art direction for such brands as Ikea, Uniqlo, MoMa New York and Ericsson, among others. The three words Jobs would choose to symbolize Swedish design today are awareness, sustainability and multiculturalism.
Jobs believes there is such a thing as male and female design. “There is definitely a difference in expression, but maybe less so here in the Nordics than in other parts of the world. Maybe what is Scandinavian about our design is a sense of equality. For many companies it’s almost trendy to commission female designers, even if the company is male-led — which creates a good mix.”
During Stockholm Design Week, Nina Jobs (pictured) and Stina Sandwall also showed their furniture collection at the Designgalleriet, a Stockholm gallery that features both young independent designers and established design companies. The theme of the exhibit was “Inhale Exhale – design that slows you down.”
Jobs is a Swedish designer who has worked in product and furniture design and art direction for such brands as Ikea, Uniqlo, MoMa New York and Ericsson, among others. The three words Jobs would choose to symbolize Swedish design today are awareness, sustainability and multiculturalism.
Jobs believes there is such a thing as male and female design. “There is definitely a difference in expression, but maybe less so here in the Nordics than in other parts of the world. Maybe what is Scandinavian about our design is a sense of equality. For many companies it’s almost trendy to commission female designers, even if the company is male-led — which creates a good mix.”
Jobs’ and Sandwall’s Inhale Exhale exhibition featured a collection of the same name consisting of furniture and objects designed to complement each other and work together. All were produced and manufactured in Sweden. Exhibition materials described the collection as “bookshelves, small tables and pots with a sensuous movement, like breathing in and out.”
Swedish designer Stina Sandwall sees a difference in design created by women.
Sandwall, the other designer behind the Inhale Exhale collection, has worked in both product design and interior design. She says there are certain components that can make design more feminine. “We dare to be a bit more organic in our expression, and work in a softer palette, and with softer values — maybe we listen more.”
Sandwall thinks the design world is moving ahead when it comes to social sustainability, equality and multiculturalism, but it doesn’t come free. “We all need to fight for it! One improvement would be to have more female product developers, for example.”
Sandwall, the other designer behind the Inhale Exhale collection, has worked in both product design and interior design. She says there are certain components that can make design more feminine. “We dare to be a bit more organic in our expression, and work in a softer palette, and with softer values — maybe we listen more.”
Sandwall thinks the design world is moving ahead when it comes to social sustainability, equality and multiculturalism, but it doesn’t come free. “We all need to fight for it! One improvement would be to have more female product developers, for example.”
Cinderella ironing board by Anna Kraitz, featured in the Misschiefs exhibition. Photo by Kimberly Ihre
When the Misschiefs exhibition travels abroad, it will both showcase Swedishness and take a localized approach. Part of the proceeds from the sales of the exhibition catalog and the art pieces go to a women’s foundation called The Case for Her.
“That Misschiefs begins in Sweden is logical, as it’s a historical and geographical focal point for gender equality,” says Bjäringer, the curator. “Sweden is a world leader in gender equality, but more can be done. Even in Sweden, women have things yet to be said, expressed, made and consumed by women makers. Misschiefs will grow as it travels, making it a mobile message and yet a unique experience for its visitors in each country.”
When the Misschiefs exhibition travels abroad, it will both showcase Swedishness and take a localized approach. Part of the proceeds from the sales of the exhibition catalog and the art pieces go to a women’s foundation called The Case for Her.
“That Misschiefs begins in Sweden is logical, as it’s a historical and geographical focal point for gender equality,” says Bjäringer, the curator. “Sweden is a world leader in gender equality, but more can be done. Even in Sweden, women have things yet to be said, expressed, made and consumed by women makers. Misschiefs will grow as it travels, making it a mobile message and yet a unique experience for its visitors in each country.”
Francis cupboard by Louise Hederström for Maze, launched at the 2020 Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair
Hederström believes that change is on the way. “We can absolutely change things, but it takes time,” she says. “The end consumer in Sweden when it comes to interior design is often a woman, so we are seeing more women in the boardrooms too.
“At the same time we also have to think sustainably when we design, consider circular manufacturing and innovative materials. The manufacturers and design companies must in general take in new talent in sound, inclusive company structures. If we shake up the design world a bit, changes will come. How could that ever be wrong?”
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Hederström believes that change is on the way. “We can absolutely change things, but it takes time,” she says. “The end consumer in Sweden when it comes to interior design is often a woman, so we are seeing more women in the boardrooms too.
“At the same time we also have to think sustainably when we design, consider circular manufacturing and innovative materials. The manufacturers and design companies must in general take in new talent in sound, inclusive company structures. If we shake up the design world a bit, changes will come. How could that ever be wrong?”
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Browse millions of photos for inspiration
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Sweden is one of six nations in the world to have reached economic equality between genders, according to a 2019 report published by the World Bank Group. (The other countries are Denmark, Belgium, France, Latvia and Luxembourg.) But these artists contend that the design world has more work still to do.
“Even in more gender-equal societies and design industries like Sweden, there is more room to be taken up by women creators at large,” says Paola Bjäringer, curator of the touring feminist exhibition Misschiefs, with works from 10 Swedish designers and artists. “This in turn affects the objects, the product, the industry and the consumer culture that is craving new kinds of proposals to live more meaningful lives. Women are central in this new production cycle already in motion and yet in its birthing moment.”
How does Bjäringer define Swedishness in design? “Useful, clean and sober.”