by Anette Væring, Copenhagen, Denmark

I asked designers based in Copenhagen – working with graphic design, fashion, performance/urban space and network – questions that hopefully would give you some insight into what’s going with design in Copenhagen right now.



Tanja Vibe, Graphic designer, All the way to Paris. Tanja is half of the design duo All the way to Paris, whose current focus is on designing art books and fashion related identities. On top of her business, Tanja has three small boys! That’s something!

1. What is interesting about design in Copenhagen right now?
We usually don’t keep very good track of the design scene – we tend to look at other scenes… For example, the Danish art scene which is thriving, and we’re happy to be involved with galleries, art fanzines, art books, and an exciting artist driven restaurant opening later on this year.

2. If you where going to collaborate with a great Swede, who would it be?
I already do work with a great Swede. My partner in All the way to Paris, Petra Olsson, is Swedish, based in Malmö.

3. What would you wish Copenhagen would be recognized for? Is that a possible design task?
A courageous design scene willing to take new twists and turns, looking outside design and national borders and continuing the good work that is being done.

And your most inspiring links to Copenhagen?
Gasfanzine
Storm, Store Regnegade, Kbh K



Henrik Vibskov, Fashion Designer, Henrik Vibskov. If you’re in Copenhagen, pay a visit to Henrik’s store and you will see why people everywhere enjoy his design universe so much. Though he would much rather talk about other things than design, he did say this.

1. What is interesting about design in Copenhagen right now?
What a question. Well it’s not so interesting, more funny y’know, this focus on looking right – the MTV look. Also check BoBo at Myspace/Bobedre

2. If you where going to collaborate with a great Swede, who would it be?
My old classmate Patrik Söderstam – the great Swede. Another one I don’t know yet.

3. What would you wish Copenhagen would be recognized for? Is that a possible design task?
A place where all cultures are welcome, regardless of social or religious perspectives. Designers can help that by focusing on different cultures than just the Danish culture during the design process. That’s not to say that the Danish culture isn’t important. I don’t agree with direct statements on cloth, but you can do it in many different ways. Be sure it’s a design task – of course!

And your most inspiring links to Copenhagen?
Badeanstalten at Christiania is nice
Wascator, café/bar at Nørrebro
Bankeråt, café/bar at Nansensgade
Rent a boat….
The Russian Restaurant at Israels Plads



Johan Carlson, architect designer at RACA. Johan is Swedish. He’s full of twisted ideas and works with few borders between product, art, architecture and graphics. He is part of the design duo RACA that, among other things, had an exhibition at Moderna Museet in Stockholm last year.

1. What is interesting about design in Copenhagen right now?
One can see how Copenhagen transforms, new thoughts about the inner city, Metropolzonen, the area Ørestad, and the reprogramming of the former brewery ground of Carlsberg. This does not only reflect on architectural practices and urban design, but has an impact on all fields of design. Designers work closely with planners and architects and new ideas and approaches are developed.

2. If you where going to collaborate with a great Swede, who would it be?
A mixed collaboration with Ingvar Kamprad, Mona Sahlin and Thomas Di Leva would be fun.

3. What would you wish Copenhagen would be recognized for? Is that a possible design task?
Would like Copenhagen to present itself as having an open-minded and humanistic approach towards design. A city that welcomes international and foreign approaches and influences, less use of the term “Danish”.

And your most inspiring links to Copenhagen?
DAC
Dunst
Danish Edge
Nord Web



Lene Nørgaard, Architect/graphic designer, co-founder of Link Up. Lene is a multitasker – a serious dancer, graphic designer and stylist – she rarely breaks her unwritten rule about never wearing the complete same set of clothes twice and, fortunately, she’s all about second hand.

1. What is interesting about design in Copenhagen right now?
A lot of small independent offices working with industrial design, graphics and architecture are emerging and are contributing in making the city alive and vibrant. They are able to get attention from the establishment as well, unleashing a lot of potential and energy. We are proud that Link UP – as we hoped for – has evolved into bridging different kinds of design and architecture as well as the young and the established.

2. If you were going to collaborate with a great Swede, who would it be?
We like to collaborate with all kinds of people across all kinds of borders. It doesn’t have to be a great Swede, but maybe just a small upcoming one.

3. What would you wish Copenhagen would be recognized for?
It would be great if Copenhagen was recognized as an open, embracing city with a lot of innovative projects going on, taking in all kinds of people; professionals, citizens, politicians. If people from all around the world would want to come here to work, stay and play with us.

And your most inspiring links to Copenhagen?
Femmes Regionales
Effekt
DanskDynamit
Kopenhagen



Anette Væring, concept and process designer, Common Dilemma. And finally, I couldn’t help asking myself – got so curious about what I would answer…

1. What is interesting about design in Copenhagen right now?
In the aftermath of Copenhagen’s fashion week, start at Myspace/shilohsoulland or visit the Wood Wood store and you’re in the middle of the cph fashion hype. Influences, in a small place, are like influenza…if one got it, it’s gonna be every where soon. Maybe that’s the dark side of ’hygge’? Need more projects building bridges between the vibrant young fashion scene and the well-funded, often rather conservative, “innovation” initiatives.

2. If you where going to collaborate with a great Swede, who would it be?
Erik Gandini. I’ve seen Surplus many times – the issue about consumption is something we as designers need to act responsibly towards. And Frederik Lindström…he is so sharp and so funny.

3. What would you wish Copenhagen would be recognized for? Is that a possible design task?
I hope Copenhagen would be recognized as the city where creative souls designed a successful alternative to Mr. Fox News, Rupert Murdoch’s MySpace! How can we accept that he is the “landlord” for 150 million users? I believe we, as creative thinkers, have so much power together, that we don’t use smart enough.

And your most inspiring links to Copenhagen?
Glyptoteket – see mummies 4.000 years old and, just for a minute, forget about the rest…



Anette Væring, Concept designer, Common Dilemma. Anette Væring is Concept Designer based in Copenhagen. Anette has been working with product and spatial design since 2001. The last couple of years her work has been more involved with concept development and creative processes with a wide range of Danish and international companies. This month she had her first TV program, about fashion, on National Danish Broadcast, DR2.