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Title_

Interview with Gunilla Allard

Day_	28/03/2003

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Gunilla Allard is one of Sweden's most well-known interior designers. Her work includes furniture for Lammhults, carpets for Kasthal, glass for Orrefors, and kitchens for Marbodal. She is also well-known as a set designer for movies, including a film by the legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.

Gunilla Allard first attracted international attention when she started working with Lammhults in the 1980's. In 1989, Gunilla Allard and Lammhults released the table "Espresso", the small stool "Piano" and the sofa "Cirkus". With her interest in film, she named her subsequent collection "Cinema", which consisted of an easy chair with a footstool, a sofa, and a coffee table. Since its launch in 1994, this range has become a classic and has gained a lot of attention. It was largely "Cinema" that paved the way for Lammhults on the international market.

Gunilla Allard has received numerous awards, including Svensk Form's Design Award, the Bruno Mathsson Prize, and the Blueprint/100% Design Prize.

Style-pd : Swedish design has been the centre of attention over the last ten years. But it has been said that there was a blank period between the 60's and 80's in which Swedish design was not getting much attention.

Gunilla Allard : Maybe. But Lammshults was a little bit different. Borge Lindau and Bo Lindekrantz were really successful in the 60's. And "Innovator" by Johan Huldt, who is currently a president of Svensk Form, was getting lots of international attention in the 70's and 80's.

Style-pd : In general, it looks like Swedish design is getting much more attention now. What do you think?

Gunilla Allard : Forty years ago, people were not talking about designers. At that time, designers didn't exist. People called them architects. Today the situation has changed. Everyone wants to be a designer. Sometimes I am a little bit critical about this kind of hype. For me, what is much more important is to make products. Some people just want to be stars. I want to be a star with my products.

Style-pd : Many people say that simplicity and practicality are the essence of Swedish design. Do you see Swedish design in the same way?

Gunilla Allard : There is a good term for that - Swedish Grace. In a way it is true. But design cannot be too simple. You must add something extra. Something more personal. Something special and something difficult to copy. You must give special details. For me, being ecologic, how you put thing together, and what kind of material I work with are important. Maybe that's a more Scandinavian way of thinking. Some designers are working with different materials.

Style-pd : One of the reasons for the success of Swedish design is IKEA. But in our thinking, IKEA is much more commercial. They are more concerned with selling products than they are with quality. So it must be asked: Does IKEA represent Swedish design?

Gunilla Allard : I think IKEA is a fantastic company. They make something simple, ecologic, and very inexpensive. It is easy to be happy if you go to IKEA. You will find lots of fresh ideas. It helps other design markets in Sweden as well. I think it is good for Swedish design. Some designers like Thomas Sandell are working for traditional design companies and IKEA at the same time. He works with B&B Italia, and lots of other companies, including IKEA.

Style-pd : Speaking of which, you are working with some other companies as well....

Gunilla Allard : I have been working with Kasthall for textile, Marbodal for kitchen, and Orrefores for glass.

Style-pd : I recently read an article stating that Swedish interior design falls behind the UK and Italy. When I read that, I thought the argument was more focused on quantity rather than quality. With Stockholm planning to become the "design capital" in the near future, do you think it is important for Stockholm to achieve said goal ?

Gunilla Allard : Italy is always number one. But I think Scandinavia should be number two in my opinion. I think that becoming the "design capital" can bring some good effects. Maybe it will bring money to do some experiments and have more expositions. Hopefully, it can help young designers to get in touch with factories and companies.

Style-pd : Do you think that your designs are typical Swedish?

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