Yngve Ekström

Biography

Beautiful, simple, comfortable – and loved. When a Swedish interior magazine asked its readers to vote for "one piece of furniture of the 20th century" they chose the easy chair Lamino, designed by Swedese's founder Yngve Ekström. "To have designed one good chair might not be a bad life's work" he had said, many years earlier. But his life's work is far greater than just Lamino. Ekström created beautiful, functional and humane furniture. He had his personal concept, which makes his furniture retain its current interest and keep it in production.

Ekström was born in 1913, in Hagafors, Småland, where the country's oldest furniture factory was situated. His father died early and Ekström started working in the factory at the age of 13. His talent for carpentry and his all-round experience gave him a unique feeling for materials and construction.

With colleagues like Aalto, Mathsson, Jacobsen and Kjaerholm, Yngve Ekström was part of the post-war modern movement that made the concept "Scandinavian Modern" world-famous. Ekström's furniture is represented in many permanent collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.