Artek and Hender Scheme Launch Leather
Finnish furniture brand Artek and Japanese leather shoemaker Hender Scheme have collaborated on a collection featuring leather covers for iconic stools and tables.
A 91-year-old Finnish furniture company and a 15-year-old Japanese leather shoemaker have created a joint collection. The Artek x Hender Scheme line launches globally on October 10, following a preview at the London Design Festival in September.
Hender Scheme's founder, Ryo Kashiwazaki, proposed the core idea. He explained that as shoemakers, they could make shoes for a stool. The result is handmade, vegetable-tanned leather covers designed to slip onto the bent-birch legs of Alvar Aalto's Stool 60 and Table 90C. The construction is inspired by storm-welt techniques used in waterproof footwear.
Shared Philosophy on Materials
Both companies celebrate natural imperfections. Artek uses wild birch that retains knots and insect trails. Hender Scheme's leather comes with its scars and stretch marks intact. Neither brand tries to iron out these irregularities.
Their approach to aging is identical. Kashiwazaki says the trick with natural materials is to not treat too much. Over time, Hender Scheme's pale leather darkens and develops a patina. Artek's birch gradually changes color. The design philosophy is to let that process happen.
Subtle Interventions on Iconic Designs
Kashiwazaki worked with nearly a century of Artek design legacy. His instinct was to tread lightly. He explained the goal was to try not to do too much, but also to add something very small, yet very different.
This is most obvious with the stool and table covers. Elsewhere, the interventions are more subtle. A leather clock, key holder, and set of coasters take their shape from Aino Aalto's Riihitie ceramic plant pots, designed in 1937.
The Pendant Lamp A330 Golden Bell, originally from the 1950s, receives a three-piece leather shade. It is wet-formed over a 3D-printed mold. Kashiwazaki calls this mix of old craft and new technology new craft.
Launch Details and Long-Term Vision
The collection will be publicly shown for the first time at Vitra's Tramshed showroom in Shoreditch during the London Design Festival. It will be on view from September 15 to 19.
| Item | Design Inspiration | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Stool 60 Cover | Alvar Aalto's Stool 60 | Storm-welt inspired leather cover for legs |
| Table 90C Cover | Alvar Aalto's Table 90C | Storm-welt inspired leather cover for legs |
| Clock/Key Holder/Coasters | Aino Aalto's 1937 Riihitie pots | Leather forms based on ceramic plant pots |
| Pendant Lamp A330 Shade | 1950s Golden Bell lamp | Wet-formed leather over a 3D-printed mold |
Kashiwazaki's ultimate test for the collaboration is temporal. He points out that furniture can last decades or even centuries. His dream is to see one of these collaborative pieces turn up in Artek's Helsinki Second Cycle store, which resells used furniture, in 20 or 30 years. He said it would be really great if this product gets back there one day and someone buys it.
