Fritz Hansen – Visionary design since 1872
Fritz Hansen is an exclusive design brand renowned for its timeless collections and world-famous classic and contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories. The company was founded in Denmark in 1872. Fritz Hansen, a joiner from Nakskov, established a thriving workshop in Christianshavn in central Copenhagen. He and his son laid the foundations for the high quality standards that still define the Fritz Hansen brand today.
His son, Christian E. Hansen, began experimenting with steam-bending beech wood at an early stage, and once the technique had matured in the 1930s, Fritz Hansen became the world’s leading company in this field. In the 1950s, the renowned designer Arne Jacobsen was responsible for design at Fritz Hansen. The breakthrough came with the development of the ‘Ant’ plywood chair and reached its peak with the design of the classics ‘Egg’ and ‘Swan’ for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.
In 1979, the company – which had been family-run until then – became part of Skandinavisk Holding. At the same time, Verner Panton, a leading figure of the avant-garde, was the centre of attention and had an immense influence on the manufacturer’s design. In the years that followed, Fritz Hansen focused on expansion.
With the launch of the Republic of Fritz Hansen concept in 2000, the company finally clearly defined its position: The manufacturer’s designer furniture plays a defining role in the perception of businesses and private households seeking to express their own unique character through it. And so Fritz Hansen continues to evolve whilst always keeping its long history and tradition in mind, by continuing to prioritise collaboration with international and visionary designers.