Anastassiades, who designs and produces his own work and even runs his own brand store, was introduced to Svenskt Tenn by interior designer Ilse Crawford a few years ago. A big fan of Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn’s legendary designer, he doesn’t see many similarities between their work.
“His lighting is mostly an extension of the atmosphere that he wanted to create. It’s like creating an environment that extends beyond his furniture and textiles. His lamps are very simple and elegant in their own way, but they’re very different from mine,” he says.
“For me, lighting is fascinating because it requires you to design a product that has to work in two completely different scenarios: when the lamp is off, and when it’s on. It’s challenging to strike a balance where both those scenarios work.
They need to be individually bold, but also be in harmony. It’s not just about the proportions of the product itself, together with the light source; it’s also about the way the lamp works with the space, and the space it creates around itself. It’s very architectural.”
Like Frank’s lamps, though, Anastassiades’ lighting has a timeless quality. People often have difficulty placing them in time – some believe they’re a hundred years old while others find them contemporary – which the designer himself takes as a compliment. In another similarity to Svenskt Tenn, Anastassiades manufactures his designs in small, family-run workshops around the world, all selected for their unique crafts skills and traditions in the use of materials. Many of his products are hand-made and sold in limited quantities.
Anastassiades first introduced his designs at London’s 100% Design fair in 2007, and since then his collection of striking objects in metal, glass and marble – lamps, glasses and vases – has been gaining more and more attention. He originally started to produce his own work in order to get it out to the market at all.
“I believe that as a designer I had a responsibility to get my products out, and I had to find a way to do that. If a company wouldn’t commission me I had to find another way. So it started as an interesting exercise, as a challenge. It’s about being persistent, sticking to what it is you truly believe in,” he says.
Since he’s become more successful, the model works to his favour. Many companies, such as the Italian lighting manufacturer Flos and Lobmeyr, the Austrian glass and lighting producer, are now willing to collaborate with the designer, who chooses his partners carefully.
“Producing my own designs has given me an enormous amount of freedom to express the values I believe in. I’m truly responsible for the success of the product, and at the same time, truly responsible for its failure. So the decision to work with another company would only be there for a reason,” he says. “I’ve started to work with companies that can add another dimension to what it is I already produce.”
3 x Design Webshops
Design for a cause
Whether you’re hunting for the perfect Christmas present or just a treat for yourself, don’t forget to take a look at Rädda Barnen’s webshop. The Swedish arm of Save the Children, have gathered a great collection of handpicked design items, and around half of the selling price is donated to the charity organisation. Some of our favourites among this year’s news include the playful metal clouds from Magis’ Me Too series, the Babushka aluminium cans by Monika Förster, the Kin handle holders by Claesson Koivisto Rune and the adorable Nesting Dolls – a series of small dolls suitable as a toy or decoration – by illustrator Ingela Arrhenius.
Asplund online
The Swedish interior design store Asplund is an icon for many design fans, but until now many of its products have only been available at the store on Stockholm’s Sibyllegatan. In a welcome development, the company has launched a webshop that will ship your favourite Asplund items anywhere in the world, and the selection includes many limited editions only available at Asplund, such as Thomas Sandell’s popular Lucia candle holder in a raw copper alloy.
“The online store is a way for us to go back to our roots, but in the digital age. Asplund Edition, for instance, is a collection of limited items and unique objects that refers to the limited editions we had when we founded Asplund in the 1990’s,” says founder Michael Asplund.
Finn design
As the name states, Finnish Design Shop is your go-to destination for Finnish design. It’s especially good if you’re hunting for a classic lamp from the likes of Yki Nummi or Liisa Johansson-Pape, both among the most notable lighting designers in Finland in the 20th century. Despite its name, the store also sells the best of international and Scandinavian design – furniture, lighting, tableware, bathroom products and clothes from brands like Tom Dixon, &Tradition, Hay, Klong and Muuto are all shipped to your home with minimum hassle.
