Christian Wallin, Head of licensing and merchandising at Bonnierförlagen, approached Design House Stockholm with a proposal to work together on one of Sweden’s most beloved illustrators and artists: Elsa Beskow. As a publisher of Scandinavian design, Anders Färdig, the CEO of Design House Stockholm was pleasantly surprised by the suggestion and the cooperation was a fact.

A lot of people have great childhood memories from Elsa Beskow’s stories. One could not help but think about what would happen if you mixed Elsa Beskow’s cultural treasure with a young Swedish designer. Design House Stockholm asked designer Catharina Kippel about her relationship with Elsa. One of Catharina’s many strengths is her precise eye for pattern compositions. Catharina has studied at Konstfack (College of Arts) and is now working in her own studio in Gustavsberg, outside of Stockholm.

Under the supervision of the family and relatives who care for the Elsa Beskow estate, Kippel got permission to pick ”picture quotes” from the original works. Her interpretation of Elsa’s fairy tales underline Elsa’s sense of humor and the inspired interpretations of nature and animals that are so typical for Elsa. We all care for the matters that engaged Elsa Beskow; everybody’s right to knowledge and education, women’s emancipation, and that nature is something that we should be shaped by – not something that man kind should shape!

How Catharina Kippel has interpreted Elsa Beskow’s fabulous treasure, consumers will see in the middle of June, when the Design House Stockholm is releasing the first collection consisting of mugs, trays and towels. Catharina has taken her first inspiration from the fairy tales The Flower’s Festival, Aunt Brown’s Birthday, Christopher’s Harvest Time and The Curious Fish.

Read more here.