Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck, founders of Swedish brand Massproductions, see styling as a challenge. Advocating a scientific and realistic approach, they design objects that combine the know-how of craftsmanship with industrial technology. A look back at the journey of two design icons.
Mass production does not mean low quality. Sweden’s Magnus Elebäck and Briton Chris Martin prove that. In 1999 they were both consultants to the Swedish design industry. The British designer had cut his teeth at Jasper Morrison’s studio in London, before leaving the UK to settle in Stockholm, where he is a freelance designer for Ikea. It was there too that he met his partner, with whom he launched, in 2009, Massproductions, a design and production company that was quickly acclaimed by experts in the sector, thanks to its modern and quality furniture. Adhering to the same functional and aesthetic vision of contemporary styling, the duo quickly abandoned commercially motivated development strategies to create a brand focused on the interaction between the object and its context.
Chief designer, Martin stands out with his style steeped in Scandinavian tradition, combining minimalism and modernity. Elebäck, CEO of Massproductions, takes care of the management and operation of the box. Launched as part of Stockholm Design Week in 2009 and the result of meticulous research into the properties of steel wire, their Tio range propelled them onto the international scene, won various awards and is part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm. Intended for indoor or outdoor use, it consists of a table and a stackable chair, in bent metal wire, galvanized and lacquered with weather-resistant polyester paint.
The artists offer innovations that exude a timeless charm and reflect their understanding and perception of contemporary elegance. Like their Dandy collection, simple and comfortable, based on quality, function and an elegance as discreet as it is worked. It includes a two-seater sofa, a four-seater, an armchair and a retro-looking ottoman. Ditto for the Crown Chair, with aerial seat reminiscent of the 70’s, the Sander Table, a coffee table with a glass look, the Icha chair or the Rose chair available in four wood finishes and with which the founders produce a 3D printing. Each of these masterpieces is the result of a challenge.