MEET THE DESIGNERS
Nanna Ditzel
Nanna Ditzel (1923-2005) trained as a cabinetmaker and graduated as a furniture architect from Kunsthåndværkerskolen in 1946.
“Three steps forward and two steps back
– and you’re still one step forward”
Nanna Ditzel
Nanna Ditzel’s work has always been driven by a strong desire for freedom and the desire for a piece of furniture to suit both the space and the person.
She grew up in the upper middle class of Copenhagen and it was always evident that Nanna Ditzel would get a proper education. She let her parents believe that she wanted to study law and therefore became a linguistics student. In reality, she was drawn to the creative side from the start and was particularly inspired by her uncle, who was an advertising designer. Her interest in interior design grew over the years, so she applied to the School of Arts and Crafts’ Carpentry Day School, became a carpentry apprentice while attending technical school in the evenings and found it all so relatively easy and intuitive that she approached everyday life and her tasks with energy.
She met her future husband during her student years and in 1946 Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel married and founded their own design studio. Until 1961, when Jørgen Ditzel died at the age of 40, they designed jewelry, textiles and especially furniture together.
Nanna Ditzel is known for her bold and experimental style and throughout her career she was inspired by new materials and new production methods. She was always looking for better and more functional solutions to everyday challenges. She has participated in countless exhibitions and competitions over the years and received numerous awards and honors both at home and abroad.