there are lots of design brands out there that have really interesting stories to tell, but to kick-start this new feature on the blog i would be hard-pressed to find a better example than VIPP. the danish label is still most easily identified by the iconic pedal bin its founder holger nielsen designed back in 1939. the model still exists today and has often been copied but never emulated. a design that has lasted this long is a good start, but on its own it wouldn’t make for a very compelling story. there are plenty of labels and editors out there that have brought timeless designs to market at one point, but today struggle to remain relevant. that is not the case for VIPP, which has been ushered into a new era of its existence ever since nielsen’s grandchildren took charge of his legacy.
full disclosure – about a decade ago i was invited by VIPP to join a workshop for interior design influencers in their copenhagen showroom. that is when i first realized this brand is different from most. i distinctly remember meeting granddaughter sofie kristensen egelund, who excitedly told us about the ambitious ideas and plans the new generation had for their family business. lots of the things she explained to us back then have come to fruition in the past ten years. the brand has expanded its collection – which up until that point consisted mostly out of design accessories for the home – to include lighting, furniture and no less than two full-blown kitchens, including faucet designs. in my humble opinion, they succeeded so beautifully in evolving the brand’s original utilitarian and sleek visual identity into a slightly more organic and strikingly classy design language.
even more interestingly, VIPP has also opened multiple ‘one-room-hotels’ in special locations around the world, doing double duty as high-end destinations for discerning travelers, and ‘live-in’ showrooms to experience their furniture and kitchen lines up close – a smart way to lower the threshold for people contemplating investing in any of the brand’s designs for their own home. i don’t know if i’ll ever be lucky enough to belong to that group of people (i don’t need much convincing the V2 kitchen is the stuff dreams are made of), but that won’t hold me back from setting some more attainable VIPP goals for my future home. i’ve listed my favorites below, but you can discover plenty more RIGHT HERE.
VIPP466 LODGE LOUNGE CHAIR
VIPP17 PEDAL BIN
VIPP495 CABIN TABLE
VIP655 POUF
VIPP592 SCULPTURE TABLE LAMP
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