PD: You are selling your products in several countries. Is there any country that fits better with your concept? Are there any ifferences depending on country?
TD: I think the minimalistic trend is quite global. Maybe in Southeast Asia, the minimalist trend is stronger now. In Europe, it was stronger 2 or 3 years ago.
PD: I wonder what it is like in other Asians countries.
TD: We have been selling our products in Taiwan and Korea. I see a great interest in Scandinavian designs.
PD: What is your current project?
TD: We are working on a more travel-related product. We want to express the slogan: "Talented companion". You want to bring something functional with you when you travel.
PD: Do you think that your design is developing in a certain direction?
TD: Now we are trying another kind of material. People think that we always work with steel, but it is not true. You can do something with plastic, which you cannot do with steel. It is part of our idea to work with different materials.
PD:Is there any reason why you use Latin words?
TD: What is nice about Latin words is that if you know Latin, then you know a little bit of many languages. I used to study Latin at school. Many words in English, Swedish and German come from the Latin language. For example, the English and Swedish word "bonus". That means "good" in Latin. If you know where it is coming from, it makes languages more interesting. And it is quite international. It is like an international way of communicating. I think it adds something to products.
PD: If it's in Swedish, it doesn't work?
TD: For IKEA, it works in Swedish names (laughs).
PD: Do you have any favourite Japanese designers? Or architects?
TD: Tadao Ando. I like his architecture.
PD: I forgot to ask one question. My understanding is that you are more like a producer - you gather designers, etc.... What were you doing before?
TD: I worked for a Swedish multinational company, and before that, I was studying. I am a naval architect. My family has always been interested in design. My sister is a designer. She designs for Simplicitas as well. I have gotten lots of inspiration from my sister. As a naval architect, we designed some boats - I think that has something to do with how I started this company.
PD: It looks like a lot of people are trying to copy your products. Are you worried about this?
TD: I have seen products similar to ours. But I think, "C'est la vie". What can we do? (laughs)
PD: Some designers say, "They are copying." But I suppose design is like that. You copy each other and get inspired.
TD: I think we are quite early in this minimalist trend, so we have some advantage.
monocose.com values quality, tradition and
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preserve and encourage the specificity of local, exclusive design.
Locality entails that we as consumers get closer to the origin of the
products. Highly skilled craftsmen create each artifact by hand to
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