How would it feel to turn yourself into a brand, then sell a share of that brand and not have sole custody of your name any more? To know the answer, ask Tom Dixon. When Finnish furniture firm Artek approached him for help two years ago, instead of merely collaborating as a creative consultant, Dixon took a share in the company. In return, Proventus, the Swedish investment group that owns Artek, became the major owner of Tom Dixon. Confused? ‘See it as a reverse takeover bid,’ says Dixon.
It could prove to be a very shrewd move on Dixon’s part. He gains an investor for his brand, while also getting a foothold in a legendary company. Although Artek owns an amazing archive of Nordic designs, including sole rights over most of founder Alvar Aalto’s furniture, it had, over the years, lost its way. Laden with such a strong history and sense of tradition, a significant second act seemed beyond it. There were a few new designs during the 1980s and an unsuccessful attempt at joining forces with Snowcrash back in 1999, but, by the new millennium, the company was really more of a foundation than a business.
However, Artek is still an institution in Finland. Famed for its durability, quality and clean form, it also owns three showrooms in Helsinki. With such a solid background, as well as a key vested interest, Dixon’s vision for the company had to be compelling. To cover all bases, he settled on a three-pronged approach. So as not to alienate Artek’s loyal followers, there is the ‘Classic’ collection. This side will re-issue key pieces, launching Nana Ditzel’s armchair this year.
Second is the ‘Innovative’ collection that sees some exceptionally talented, established Finnish designers being brought into the fold. New pieces include a stunning dining chair by Harri Koskinen and a series of sleek chairs by Eero Aarnio. As part of this collection, Dixon will continue to honour Aalto’s zealous commitment to furnishing public buildings with his functional ‘Bamboo’ furniture. This series of tables and chairs uses a revolutionary new technique of bending bamboo to create strong but incredibly light furniture.
The ‘Objekt’ collection is the most playful of the three. These pieces, all still at prototype stage, call out to a new audience. The most daring of the three collections, it manages to retain a clean Nordic aesthetic in its pure lines and simple functionality, but with items of furniture that include bird feeders, dog kennels, ironing boards and laptop tables, it also marks a direction in which Artek can experiment and grow. Launched at this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, it remains to be seen whether this new direction will be well received at home. But with the new product range and Dixon at the helm, there is certainly a buzz around Artek. ‘The proof will be in the pudding,’ shrugs Dixon. After all, he’s only got someone else’s name to lose.
Subscribe to Wallpaper* magazine
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
