collections, which is part of an ongoing dialogue in response to what

is going on in the wider world. “We are constantly contemplating the

words and ideas that inform a collection. For example, when think-

ing about balance and stillness, we ask ourselves, ‘What does stillness

look like? How do we capture that feeling in a design? What will bal-

ance look and feel like in the future?’”

In their continuous attempt to capture these ideas and inspirations

that emerge from everyday feelings, reflections, experiences and

memories, the design team work with notes. These are not only lim-

ited to the pen and paper kind.

“Each designer in our team has a different approach to taking notes.

Some are more attracted to visual communication, such as sketches

and doodles, while others enjoy jotting down words and phrases in

physical or digital notebooks to describe their thoughts and feelings

behind an idea. Either way, it provides us with the unique opportunity

to not only structure our own thoughts, but to invite each other into

our individual minds and create the layers that track our thoughts

during the collaborative design process,” explains Trine Andersen,

Creative Director at ferm LIVING.

Sometimes, combining notes from different designers allows new

ideas to form. Other times, individual notes can form products on

their own. Sharing notes can also extinguish an idea: “It allows us to

deliberate on a design. ‘Is something missing?’ If the answer is yes,

the design isn’t ready and doesn’t make it into the product family. We

might save it or adapt it for a later collection. It’s a journey, but the

products are better for it.”

Notes, therefore, are an integral part of the design process; they help

the designers to nurture the unique process from intangible thoughts

to functional products, and enable the team to create collections that

beautifully balance the authentic and structured.

A complete collection

When posed with the question, ‘When is a collection finished?’, the

designers answer with a resounding and unanimous “never, it lives

on! When a new product joins the family, it takes its natural place

alongside our existing products,” the design team say. “We are always

building upon the previous collection. Our pieces aren’t meant to last

just a season. We consider it a strength that new and old collections

interact and live on together.”

Notes from the Design Team

“Each designer in our team has a different approach to taking notes. Some are more

attracted to visual communication, such as sketches and doodles, while others enjoy

jotting down words and phrases in physical or digital notebooks to describe their

thoughts and feelings behind an idea.”

– Trine Andersen, Creative Director & Founding Partner

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