Designer: Nanna Ditzel
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The "First Lady of Danish Design," Nanna Ditzel made a significant impact on the modern design movement in Denmark and around the world with her innovative and experimental forms. With more than 50 works offered and counting, we continue to celebrate her contributions to the field.

I want to have ideas about design that create an image of life as I see it.

Nanna Ditzel

Additional Facts of Note

Nanna Ditzel’s iconic textile design Hallingdal for Kvadrat has been in continuous production since 1965. A best-selling product for the manufacturer, Hallingdal has sold nearly six million yards to date remaining a prevalent staple of Scandinavian homes.

Ditzel presented her first designs at the Copenhagen Cabinetmaker’s Guild Exhibition in 1944 and continued exhibiting worldwide including galleries in Sweden, Germany, England, Japan, and Italy, among many others, throughout her career.

In 2019, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen interviewed Nanna Ditzel’s daughter Dennie Ditzel, managing director of Nanna Ditzel Design, regarding the experimental and innovative designer who became a leading figure in the renewal of Danish design.

Nanna Ditzel 1923–2005

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Nanna Ditzel, fondly known as the “First Lady of Danish Design,” was born in Copenhagen in 1923. She was trained as a cabinetmaker before enrolling at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen where she met future husband Jørgen Ditzel. In 1946 the two established a design studio producing an array of jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and furniture including the iconic Hanging Egg chair (1959). In 1956 the pair was awarded the Lunning Prize for their Children’s High Chair. After Jørgen’s death in 1961, Nanna continued the practice on her own eventually moving to London where she established the Interspace International Furniture and Design Centre.

Three steps forward and two back still means I’ve taken a step in the right direction!

Nanna Ditzel

To learn more about a work by Nanna Ditzel in your collection, contact our specialists.