John LINDGREN
Embassy of the REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen opens in Bangkok
Have you ever heard about REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen? Fritz who? A furniture company! The organization behind the Ant, the Egg, and the Swan, an exclusive, Danish, design driven minimalist furniture company.
To investigate this intriguing republic, Prestige Magazine meets one of the Ambassadors of this republic a fit, slim and youngish, impeccably suited and booted Vee Pee. His ROFH business card reads: Frederick Moller Vice President International Sales, Asia -Pacific Region. Singapore.
Fredrick Moller recently flew into Bangkok for the ribbon cutting of the first republic of Fritz Hansen /AVIVA showroom in Bangkok located at the All Season massive grey M-Tower.
Moller explains: “Our the company employs 215 people and our turnover is approximately 400 million (DKK) Danish Kronor. Around 70 percent of our production is exported, and we have designer showrooms in Amsterdam London, Milan, New York, Oslo Stockholm, Tokyo and now in Bangkok, voila! We are expanding”, says Moller.
“At University I read liberal arts; English, French, German and also marketing. After graduating Fritz Hansen was my very first job. I started in the customer service department. After that I was sent to Japan. We are big in Japan”, says Moller. “Today we’ got twelve dealers and a flagship a store in Tokyo. And my wife is Japanese so my son is half Samurai and half Viking. And, I am also a warrior – a road warrior with 200 days per year on the road – working for the republic.”
Thailand’s first contact with Fritz Hansen was in the 60s when HM King Bhumipol visited the small furniture factory situated thirty minutes north of Copenhagen, the Danish capital. From that visit there is a black and white photograph dated 1961 of a young Nai Luang sitting, relaxing in the Egg chair.
Could it be the same unit he received as a gift from Arne Jacobsen the designer of the Egg, the Ant and the Swan. Look for the photo it’s on the wall in the showroom.
Fritz Hansen was a master cabinet maker who established the company bearing his name in 1872 in Copenhagen.
In 1915 the first Danish chair in steam bentwood manufacturing technique was launched at Fritz Hansen's new factory. But, it was the laminated light weight, stacking chair, the Ant rolled out in 1952 that became the biggest global hit in Danish furniture history. The Egg and the Swan also by Jacobsen were launched in 1958.
“Today, our key focus is still beautiful and original design and supreme quality. We highly respect our heritage and history” Moller explains. “But also branding. We have thirty persons working in the branding department, also looking after our website www. fritzhansen.com site”, says Moller.
“You’ll find our furniture on “youtube”, MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York as well as in government institutions such as the Danish embassies round the world, they all have the Ant, the Egg and the Swan chairs and also Bang & Olufsen audiophile equipment and Louis Poulsen designer lighting. The Royal Danish embassies are our government run showrooms” explains Moller”
“And Brad Pitt is an Egg owner! Pitt has a steady taste”, says Muller. “He bought his Egg at the Sotheby’s auction and Jennifer Lopez, ‘Jay Lo’ is also a citizen of the Republic of FRITZ HANSEN.
Frederick Moller’s interview is over and his Bangkok business agenda is almost complete. In few hours he will be bound for S’pore - his residence and regional office.
And in Bangkok there is now a new Embassy on Wireless Road, beside the Vietnamese and opposite the Dutch diplomatic corps - the REPUBLIC of Fritz Hansen. Open every day from 10.00 to 20.00 hours. 2nd floor All Seasons Place.
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Embassy of the REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen opens in Bangkok
Have you ever heard about REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen? Fritz who? A furniture company! The organization behind the Ant, the Egg, and the Swan, an exclusive, Danish, design driven minimalist furniture company.
To investigate this intriguing republic, Prestige Magazine meets one of the Ambassadors of this republic a fit, slim and youngish, impeccably suited and booted Vee Pee. His ROFH business card reads: Frederick Moller Vice President International Sales, Asia -Pacific Region. Singapore.
Fredrick Moller recently flew into Bangkok for the ribbon cutting of the first republic of Fritz Hansen /AVIVA showroom in Bangkok located at the All Season massive grey M-Tower.
Moller explains: “Our the company employs 215 people and our turnover is approximately 400 million (DKK) Danish Kronor. Around 70 percent of our production is exported, and we have designer showrooms in Amsterdam London, Milan, New York, Oslo Stockholm, Tokyo and now in Bangkok, voila! We are expanding”, says Moller.
“At University I read liberal arts; English, French, German and also marketing. After graduating Fritz Hansen was my very first job. I started in the customer service department. After that I was sent to Japan. We are big in Japan”, says Moller. “Today we’ got twelve dealers and a flagship a store in Tokyo. And my wife is Japanese so my son is half Samurai and half Viking. And, I am also a warrior – a road warrior with 200 days per year on the road – working for the republic.”
Thailand’s first contact with Fritz Hansen was in the 60s when HM King Bhumipol visited the small furniture factory situated thirty minutes north of Copenhagen, the Danish capital. From that visit there is a black and white photograph dated 1961 of a young Nai Luang sitting, relaxing in the Egg chair.
Could it be the same unit he received as a gift from Arne Jacobsen the designer of the Egg, the Ant and the Swan. Look for the photo it’s on the wall in the showroom.
Fritz Hansen was a master cabinet maker who established the company bearing his name in 1872 in Copenhagen.
In 1915 the first Danish chair in steam bentwood manufacturing technique was launched at Fritz Hansen's new factory. But, it was the laminated light weight, stacking chair, the Ant rolled out in 1952 that became the biggest global hit in Danish furniture history. The Egg and the Swan also by Jacobsen were launched in 1958.
“Today, our key focus is still beautiful and original design and supreme quality. We highly respect our heritage and history” Moller explains. “But also branding. We have thirty persons working in the branding department, also looking after our website www. fritzhansen.com site”, says Moller.
“You’ll find our furniture on “youtube”, MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York as well as in government institutions such as the Danish embassies round the world, they all have the Ant, the Egg and the Swan chairs and also Bang & Olufsen audiophile equipment and Louis Poulsen designer lighting. The Royal Danish embassies are our government run showrooms” explains Moller”
“And Brad Pitt is an Egg owner! Pitt has a steady taste”, says Muller. “He bought his Egg at the Sotheby’s auction and Jennifer Lopez, ‘Jay Lo’ is also a citizen of the Republic of FRITZ HANSEN.
Frederick Moller’s interview is over and his Bangkok business agenda is almost complete. In few hours he will be bound for S’pore - his residence and regional office.
And in Bangkok there is now a new Embassy on Wireless Road, beside the Vietnamese and opposite the Dutch diplomatic corps - the REPUBLIC of Fritz Hansen. Open every day from 10.00 to 20.00 hours. 2nd floor All Seasons Place.
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