MILAN— Els Van Hoorebeeck, the 37-year-old creative director of Fritz Hansen , one of the world’s oldest furniture companies, likens it to Danish Royalty. “Almost every big, important Danish designer has passed through the doors of Fritz Hansen,” Hoorebeeck mused.
A Belgian, Van Hoorebeeck spent five years as creative and brand director for the Danish brand &Tradition based in Copenhagen, after a stint as head of interior design for The Office Group. She also worked for Switzerland-based design firm Vitra .
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After being hired in November 2024, her first project culminated in 7:14 AM, a new release of late Danish architect Arne Jacobsen’s contemporary breakthrough, the Series 7 chair. Celebrating the piece’s 70th anniversary, it was based on the pastel hues of the Danish dawn. She is also fueling the evolution of ReNEW, Fritz Hansen’s repair services for both private and commercial customers, to ensure that its iconic pieces are passed down through the generations.
For 3daysofdesign set to run June 18 to 20 she’s gearing up to unveil a landmark collaboration with Cypriot-born, London-based designer Michael Anastassiades . “It’s not lighting ,” she anticipates, recognizing that while Anastassiades is known well for his lighting, he’s created tables, chairs, shelving and more for companies like Cassina, Molteni&C, Tacchini, Kettal and more.
Named the After Series, Anastassiades drew inspiration from Danish masters like Kaare Klint and Poul Kjærholm. The round dining table conveys a sense of clarity and play on geometry. It’s flanked by the After chair, which is perceived as a stack of layers and elements.
“I have spent a lot of time with Michael. He is an amazing person and everything around him makes you fully understand the pieces. It is a really good example of the principles of Danish design. It’s an evolution not a revolution collection in the sense that it’s a contemporary interpretation of the past,” she added.
In an interview, Anastassiades said the curved backrest in wood presented the ultimate challenge, because wood moves over time. In the end, the firm’s carpenters put the wood through a multiband saw that slices the wood into sheets. These sheets were then glued back together in sequence and pressed to make the curve. Fritz Hansen’s knowledge of timber was what drew him to the brand. “It is not an accident that all these beautiful Danish classic pieces came from that culture. It can only happen this way. It’s not about what the photographs are like — it is how the chair is physically and how to appreciate and occupy a piece of furniture ,” the designer stated.
Van Hoorebeeck’s job since being hired has been to translate Fritz Hansen’s DNA to new generations, find new avenues of storytelling and forge and strengthen relationships around the storied brand. Founded in 1872 by Fritz Hansen and his son, Christian, the firm very early on began catering to the upper echelons of Danish society: Danish parliament, the Supreme Court, Copenhagen City Hall and more.
With collaborations like the After table and chair, the aim is to maintain Fritz Hansen’s pledge to create furniture that maintains its value through generations. The company’s fame, she said, remains intact. In South Korea for example, its fame is tantamount to that of Hermès, she contended. “They love the brand there,” she said.
“The benefit to global consumers is that you can buy something to pass on to generations, one that adds this emotional value to the piece. It’s already an investment when you buy a piece, you can sell it on the secondhand market and it keeps its value,” she said, noting that her famous piece of Fritz Hansen furniture has always been the Ant chair, also designed by Jacobsen in 1952.
The company and its new chief executive officer Henrik Steensgaard are focused on leveraging its vast archive through compelling storytelling.
Since 2021, the company has also been intent on strengthening its distribution channels and showrooms across Asia, Europe and North America. As part of its ambitious growth strategy, it bought fellow Danish firm Skagerrak, an outdoor specialist founded in 1976.
There are some categories that could be stronger, Van Hoorebeeck said, like sofas and chairs and the goal is unwavering. “Danish design is rooted in improving everyday life. Danish living is becoming a lot more international, as Danes are masters in improving quality of life [through their living spaces].”
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