Estrid Ericson

Flowers, acorns, and elephants. Estrid Ericson is a Swedish design icon with a creative yet sophisticated approach to form, function, and design. As the founder of Svenskt Tenn, she created an institution within contemporary design.

Estrid Ericson is one of the most renowned designers of the 20th century. She grew up in Hjo, by the western shore of Lake Vättern, and began her career as a drawing teacher and tin artist. At the age of 30, she moved to Stockholm, where she founded the company Svenskt Tenn. There, she succeeded in bringing together some of the most notable artists and architects of her time, helping to lay the foundation for what is now associated with modern Swedish design.

Her way of combining the simplicity of modernism with generously patterned textiles and quirky decorative objects continues to serve as an inspiration for many.

In 1924, she opened the store Svenskt Tenn on Smålandsgatan in Stockholm, together with tin artist Nils Fougstedt. They made the products themselves in a small workshop behind the store to offer fashionable tinware at affordable prices. Ten years later, Estrid hired designer and architect Josef Frank, who helped create a distinctive interior style with tasteful and colorful patterns that became characteristic of Svenskt Tenn.

Estrid Ericson (1894 – 1981), fabric print Elephant, Svenskt Tenn AB, 1924.

Design classics that continue to inspire

The collaboration between Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank is one of the most interesting in Swedish design history. Ericson’s artistic talent, entrepreneurship, and creative staging, combined with Frank’s organic modernism, laid the foundation for many Swedish design classics. Estrid Ericson was involved in the daily operations of the company until 1975, when she sold it to the Beijer Foundation, but continued as artistic director for several years.

Today, Estrid Ericson is considered one of the most influential Swedish designers of the 20th century. Her way of combining the simplicity of modernism with generously patterned textiles and quirky decorative objects continues to serve as an inspiration for many. She mixed new and old freely, filling rooms with carefully selected items from all corners of the world.

You can find more objects by Estrid Ericson in our digital collections.