Among Danish furniture designers, Hans J. Wegner is considered one of the most creative, innovative and prolific. Often referred to as the master of the chair, Wegner designed more than 500 chairs in his lifetime – many of them considered masterpieces. He is probably best known for his iconic Wishbone Chair which has been in continuous production since 1950.

The core of Wegner’s legacy is his focus on bringing the inner workings – the soul – of the furniture to the exterior, where the simplicity and functionality can be appreciated.

One of Denmark's most respected architects, Arne Jacobsen has become synonymous with global modernism. His precise yet expressive aesthetic still serves as inspiration for contemporary designers, and his furniture designs, most created in connection with specific architectural projects, continue to excite both in Denmark and abroad.

While architecture was Jacobsen’s primary focus, he also made lighting, textiles, furniture and industrial designs, approaching all projects with the same perfectionism that defined his career.

After graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture in Copenhagen in 1969, Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup began a collaboration that led them to join forces on design projects across the globe for more than 20 years.

The pair have designed everything from large-scale architecture to lighting, including a series of geometric-inspired lamps, which Carl Hansen & Søn recently revived. Throughout their joint career, Bonderup and Thorup have received much recognition and numerous prizes. Their contributions to the world of design are ongoing.

Børge Mogensen’s creative process produced long-lasting pieces with humans at the center. He became a highly-influential, post-war designer and a leading representative of Danish Modern.

Mogensen’s democratic design included simple and functional wooden furniture for both private and public spaces, with calm aesthetics and strong construction from quality. He believed in visual clarity and minimal decoration or experimentation, as seen in his classic Hunting Table and Deck Chair Set.

Renowned as an uncompromising designer, Frits Henningsen viewed quality craftsmanship as essential, and unlike most cabinetmakers, always designed his own furniture pieces.

As a member of the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild, Henningsen became a major driver of the furniture exhibitions of the period, gaining recognition for his perfectionist style and vibrant personality. He gave new expression to traditional designs and drew inspiration from the French Empire, rococo, and British 17th-century furniture.

Ejner Larsen (1917-1987) and Aksel Bender Madsen (1916-2000), trained as furniture upholsterer and cabinetmaker, respectively, met while studying under leading Danish designer Kaare Klint at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Their acquaintance developed into a lifelong friendship, and in 1947 they began designing together in their spare time. They exhibited furniture every year thereafter at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition.

Mads Odgård has always had a love for straight lines, right angles, and geometric shapes. This love shines through in his professional design work, the interior design of his own home and when landscaping his garden. If he doesn’t know where to begin when creating a new design, he simply starts by drawing a straight line. This minimalist mindset is evident in Mads Odgård’s design portfolio, which includes the lamps of the MO Series – his first collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn.

Born in Copenhagen in 1944 and originally trained in shipping, Morten Gøttler became a self-taught designer and architect known for his exceptional understanding of wood.

He opened his own studio in 1972 and has worked in many genres, including furniture design, domestic art, packaging, toys, graphics and lighting. Gøttler’s clean, easy aesthetic is characterized by well-thought-out form, exquisite comfort, and close attention to detail – all brought to life using high-quality materials.

Her desire to explore spaces and experiment with techniques on the edge of what is possible led Nanna Ditzel – one of Danish design’s most distinctive personalities – to become acquainted with the entire design universe. This unconventional approach to the design process, together with an extensive knowledge of the craft, spawned a range of innovative designs from jewellery to textiles and furniture. Throughout her 60-year career, Nanna Ditzel established herself as one of the most distinctive figures in Danish design. She rethought the functionalist design tradition with her imaginative expressions and left her mark on thousands of private homes and public forums.

Poul Kjærholm mixed his strict, modern idiom with superior quality and materials rooted in Danish craftsmanship traditions. Despite his short career as a furniture designer, Kjærholm’s craftsmanship and clear expression resulted in timeless designs with a global influence.

Kjærholm became known for his functionalist steel, leather and glass furniture. He removed unnecessary ornamentation in favor of clarity and function, and avoided easy solutions and fads in his search for each material’s own language. 

Danish designer Rikke Frost has always been curious about the combination of different craft traditions and types of material, a fact clearly reflected in her design portfolio where traditional and contemporary design is expressed in sofas, tables, chairs and lamps with an organic idiom. This holds true in the Sideways Sofa, which is Rikke Frost’s first collaboration with Carl Hansen & Son. Here, she blends classic materials such as woven paper cord and wood in a modern and functional design.

Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s design philosophy unites Japanese design traditions with modern Western expression. Ando is inspired by Le Corbusier with a style that is minimalistic and innovative, with a focus on functionality.

Ando has great respect for the work of Hans J. Wegner and has often used his furniture in his architecture projects. Ando produced his Wegner-inspired Dream Chair in collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn, relying on century-long traditions of craftsmanship to achieve perfection.