Yngve Ekström

Swedish designer Yngve Ekström was completely self-taught. In 1944 he founded the successful furniture factory ESE-mobler, which later became Swedese AB. His breakthrough came in 1953 when his furniture was exhibited in the leading department store stockholm Nordiska Komaniek.

Swedese’s furniture is shipped disassembled from the start and assembled by customers. All that was required was a hexagonal Allen key. So this idea was there long before Ikea made it its trademark.

Ekström’s most famous design is the Lamino chair from 1956. An elegant light chair, originally upholstered in sheepskin. The Lamino was voted Swedish furniture of the century by the readers of the Swedish magazine Sköna Hem (Beautiful House). Other well-known designs are the Ruster chairs for Pastoe, Arka chair for Stolfabrik and a series of teak trolleys.

Ekstrom’s designs can be seen in the permanent collection of Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, and the Stedelijkmuseum in Amsterdam.

Ekström together with designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen and poul Kjaerholm played an important role in the vintage style “Scandinavian modern”.