Swedish Design : A History

Swedish Design: A History provides a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to the development of design in Sweden from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twenty-first.

Leading design historian Lasse Brunnström traces the move from artisanal crafts production to the mass production and consumption of designed objects, a process by which the role and profile of the designer became increasingly important. His survey, richly illustrated with images of the designed objects discussed, takes in forms of design traditionally associated with Sweden, such as household objects and textiles, while also considering some less-written about genres such as industrial and graphic design. Brunnström questions many established ideas about design in Sweden, notably its aesthetics and its relationship to Sweden's national and political culture. He argues that the history of design in Sweden has been far more complex and less straightforwardly 'blond' than hitherto understood.

“[There] is no other English-language book like this in the marketplace. Academic readers should be delighted as yet another barrier to Nordic design history has been stripped away by Brunnström’s book.” - Journal of Design History

“An impressive account of Sweden's design history from its origin in craft traditions to its role in the creation of a modern industrial state. The book's broad approach shows the relation of political, social, and economic factors that contribute to design's development.” —Victor Margolin, Professor Emeritus of Design History at the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA

“This important study significantly extends the information available in English on the subject of Swedish design. More than that, it presents an expanded take on the topic, in which the heroes of Swedish design are placed in the wider context of both Swedish and global industrial and design developments. In expanding beyond the classic fields of furniture, glass, ceramics and textiles (though these are included) and in ranging from the late nineteenth century up to the 2000s, the book challenges the traditionally narrow definitions of what 'Swedish design' can mean. This is an important contribution to our understanding of design in Sweden and how design histories can be written.” —Charlotte Ashby, Visiting Lecturer of Art History at the University of Oxford, UK

“Finally, a nuanced and critical survey of Swedish design. Brunnström demonstrates that the history of Swedish design is far more variegated than is usually portrayed.” —Sara Kristoffersson, author of Design by IKEA

“In rich, informative discussions of both historical and contemporary Swedish design, Lasse Brunnström broadens the conventional perspective on design developments beyond the familiar names of luxury products. In this copiously illustrated study, Brunnström also pushes against such standard distinctions as “industry” and “craft.” Focusing on such diverse topics as manufacturing, functionalism, advertising and gender, Swedish Design: A History provides a welcome addition to the expansion of Sweden's design history beyond “Swedish Grace.”” —Mark Mussari, author of Danish Modern

“Swedish Design: A History is quite possibly the best account of popular design in Scandinavia, and an exciting addition to design history. Complicating the familiar narrative of Swedish design as blonde and handmade, Lasse Brunnström places 19th and 20th century type, textile, product, packaging, car design, and more squarely in the middle of a broader material culture. This is not just a robust history of modern Swedish design and its evolving ideals and ambitions. It is also a rich history of the everyday told through the objects that filled it and the institutions that shaped it.” —Maggie Taft, 2014 - 2016 Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, USA