Tiffany Monica Louie - Week 4 - Denmark

Above: A collection of different chairs by Danish furniture designer, Børge Mogensen

There’s nothing like a compelling story behind a product that captures the curiosity of a potential consumer, whether it’s a promise of donating a pair of shoes to a child in Uganda with your purchase, or a commitment to donate half of product proceeds to a women’s collective in the Philippines. Moreover, having third-parties like celebrity endorsements uphold these narratives and give meaning to what that product is also catches the consumer’s attention and persuades them to buy the product. It is this very concept - of creating a persuasive, interesting narrative behind a product to grab the attention of consumers to buy this product and strategically interacting with different social organizations and relationships to consistently keep these narratives alive in a our consumeristic society- that defines Denmark’s national aesthetic.    

Per H. Hansen further explains this concept and how it applies to the construction of the Danish Modern design as an international competition in the furniture industry in his article titled, “Networks, Narratives, and New Markets: The Rise and Decline of Danish Modern Furniture Design”, 1930-1970.  Different definitions were given to define “Danish Modern”, which influenced people to choose Denmark designed and produced furniture over other types.  Subsequently, the Danish Modern concept became a brand for consumers whose sole existence was consumerism.  Danish Modern was also framed with certain narratives devised by certain groups of individuals.  This relates to the power dynamic referenced in class: government, people, and industry.  The Federal Trade Commission placed strict guidelines on what constituted as Danish Modern furniture; the people see these narratives and descriptors that influence their buying choices, and the industry works with other third parties to ensure that specific narratives are consistently put in place to keep up sales of their product.

As product advertising and marketing cater to specific narratives and stories that are widely accepted by the consumer and influence them to buy the product, has there been recent contemporary attempts by furniture and interior designers to incorporate Danish Modern concepts into their products (and have them be successful in the furniture market against other competitors?).  

Per H. Hansen. "Networks, Narratives, and New Markets: The Rise and Decline of Danish Modern Furniture." Web. 22 Jan 2016.

http://designmuseum.dk/en/udstillinger/arkiv/2014/moebler-til-folket-boerge-mogensen-100-aar