STOFF Nagel: Where Scandinavian Minimalism Meets Sculptural Function

Makers

12 Nov

Words: designeers
November 2024

DESIGNEERS

As the CEO of STOFF Nagel, can you share your vision for the brand and how it has evolved since its founding in 2015?

BINE LIND

The vision has for me always been to transform the design from being perceived only as a candle holder (in the 60s and 70s) to today to be perceived as a sculptural and individual object, where candles can be added to the sculpture, but is not limited to this function.

DESIGNEERS

How do you ensure the designs remain true to Werner Stoff’s original vision while also appealing to contemporary tastes? 

BINE LIND

Werner Stoff’s vision for the design was to create a visually aesthetics design in soft shapes, which he is known for, and in a modular design rooting back to his background in architecture. It is this vision that we want to honor by focusing on the product in a more sculptural context bringing out the architectural aspect in the product design.

The product is universal and timeless in the sense that it is just as relevant now as it was back then. The product speaks to people’s desire to collect designs they can personalize in their home décor and that can evolve with them.

DESIGNEERS

The STOFF Nagel collection includes a variety of pieces from candle holders to vases and stands. What drives the expansion of your product line?

BINE LIND

First and for most, it is the original designs that drive the expansion in our collection. The new designs in our collection are the vase and the wall hanger, which are both natural extensions of the product and therefore became a natural part of the collection.

We do not wish to dilute the design by introducing a lot of new design initiatives but wish to stay true to the concept by focusing on the products that were already a part of the collection back then. Like the bowl that was originally designed as an ashtray, we reintroduced without any changes to the original design, but today it is marketed as a decorative object. In this way, we reintroduce the objects we think have a place also today perhaps with a different purpose than originally envisioned.

DESIGNEERS

Scandinavian minimalism and the stackable design approach are key features of your products. Can you elaborate on how these principles influence your design process?

BINE LIND

For us the design principles like clean silhouettes, quality craftmanship and functionality valued in Scandinavian minimalism are also what drives our design approach. It’s interesting for us to explore the intersection between beauty and utility where functional design can double as avant-garde pieces. Like with our candle holder, in its purest function holding candles or exhibited as a sculptural object.

“For us the design principles like clean silhouettes, quality craftmanship and functionality valued in Scandinavian minimalism are also what drives our design approach.”

BINE LIND

DESIGNEERS

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in reviving and expanding the STOFF Nagel brand, and how did you overcome them? 

BINE LIND

We really want to enlighten the end customer of the full concept, highlighting that it is not enough just having three candle holders and adding candles. We want to show them that by adding more candle holders and additions to their collection, the design becomes a bigger and a more integrated part of their home decoration. Getting people to understand that the product is a result of their own creativity and that there is no right or wrong way to stack the pieces. It all comes down to personal taste and adjustment of the design to fit the individual home.

The most challenging market is the German market, which is the homeland of the products and the market showing the biggest resistance towards the new concept. Older generations did not wish to see this old product in their home again. It was packed away in the basement. Here we have succeeded to market the product with a Scandinavian touch towards the younger German demographic and today they love seeing the design and asking their grandparents for the antique pieces. To be able to mix the reintroduced designs with the antiques makes the pieces even more personal for many Germans and collectors around the world.

DESIGNEERS

How do you engage with your customers to understand their needs and preferences?

BINE LIND

We target a lot of our energy on social media platforms like Instagram to collaborate with influencers across the world as well as our passionate collectors of STOFF Nagel designs. It’s a constant dialogue in which we inspire each other in exploring new ways to exhibit and expand the iconic collection. Last year, we introduced the wall hanger in the chrome edition and because we have many loyal customers with collections in the black and solid brass editions, they were eager for the wall hanger to be introduced in these color editions, which we did this year. So it’s an ongoing dialogue that we value greatly.

DESIGNEERS

What trends in interior design are you currently excited about, and how do you see them influencing future STOFF Nagel products? 

BINE LIND

A trend that fits right into our philosophy is the trend of embracing the art of collecting and curating “stuff” within the home. We believe a home is made when it is filled with things that have meaning to you, and curating your unique collection of STOFF Nagel designs and displaying them to fit your individual taste gets us excited and will continue to inspire future product launches.