Jens Risom turns 100! Best wishes to this Danish design icon.
Born in Denmark in 1916, Jens Risom turned 100 last week. Congratulations to this iconic designer!
Risom left Denmark for the United States in 1938 and was working as a freelancer in New York City specializing in furniture and textiles when he met Hans Knoll. The pair collaborated on an exhibition for the New York World’s Fair. Knoll asked Risom, who had been searching for a promoter and manufacturer, to help him design interiors for clients around New York.
Jens Risom at home in New Canaan, Connecticut.
In 1942 they printed the first Knoll Catalog, which included 15 pieces designed by Risom — the very first furniture to be commissioned specifically by Knoll. Working ingeniously within the constraints of wartime material shortages, Risom developed several chairs and tables using essentially scraps of wood and rejected nylon straps from parachute production. Despite these constraints, Risom was able to design innovative and truly modern pieces of furniture, a selection of which were reintroduced by Knoll in 1994.
The Jens Risom Lounge Chair, Side Chair and Sitting Stool are available in three wood frame finishes and ten different coloured webbing material.
Jens Risom's 600 Series. Image from the Knoll Archive.
The Jens Risom Lounge Chair (shown here with arms) is a combination of gentle curves and geometric angles that exhibit Risom's Scandinavian design sensibilities.
In 1943, Risom left Knoll to join the U.S. Army. He returned to the United States in 1946 to launch his own design firm, Jens Risom Design, which he ran until the early 1970s. Jens Risom lives in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Always be sure you are buying original and authentic products. Look for the logo and ask questions of the seller. Support creativity and help protect the history of design and the future of innovation.
Customers in the USA can purchase many of GRShop's products at ModernPlanet.com and receive the same great customer service and free shipping.
Risom left Denmark for the United States in 1938 and was working as a freelancer in New York City specializing in furniture and textiles when he met Hans Knoll. The pair collaborated on an exhibition for the New York World’s Fair. Knoll asked Risom, who had been searching for a promoter and manufacturer, to help him design interiors for clients around New York.
Jens Risom at home in New Canaan, Connecticut.In 1942 they printed the first Knoll Catalog, which included 15 pieces designed by Risom — the very first furniture to be commissioned specifically by Knoll. Working ingeniously within the constraints of wartime material shortages, Risom developed several chairs and tables using essentially scraps of wood and rejected nylon straps from parachute production. Despite these constraints, Risom was able to design innovative and truly modern pieces of furniture, a selection of which were reintroduced by Knoll in 1994.
The Jens Risom Lounge Chair, Side Chair and Sitting Stool are available in three wood frame finishes and ten different coloured webbing material. Jens Risom's 600 Series. Image from the Knoll Archive. The Jens Risom Lounge Chair (shown here with arms) is a combination of gentle curves and geometric angles that exhibit Risom's Scandinavian design sensibilities.In 1943, Risom left Knoll to join the U.S. Army. He returned to the United States in 1946 to launch his own design firm, Jens Risom Design, which he ran until the early 1970s. Jens Risom lives in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Always be sure you are buying original and authentic products. Look for the logo and ask questions of the seller. Support creativity and help protect the history of design and the future of innovation.
Customers in the USA can purchase many of GRShop's products at ModernPlanet.com and receive the same great customer service and free shipping.