Interviews|March 2025
Carina Seth Andersson on functional forms
Inspired by traditional Nordic and Japanese crafts, Swedish designer Carina Seth Andersson has made it her mission to create beautiful utility items with perfectly balanced proportions.
With a small studio production of glass and ceramics, as well as commissions for producers like Svenskt Tenn, Iittala, and Marimekko, Carina Seth Andersson aims to transcend the traditional hierarchy of arts, crafts, and the mass-produced.
She considers her materials to be living and organic, and therefore, they demand the human hand and sense to transition from liquid to solid form, even if made industrially. Objects of glass or ceramics will never be entirely uniform, she believes, but slightly varying, reflecting the hand’s work and craft.
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For Andersson, using utility design as the starting point means returning again and again to an object’s principal function. Rather than sketching and experimenting with the material, she begins working with words, listing needs and end uses, cutting and pasting and attributing them to a certain object or form. She draws inspiration from the simple, archetypal shapes that have evolved over time as solutions to everyday problems.
In her work, traditional utility designs also serve as examples of how functional form is achieved, by studying the proportions and balance between an object’s components.
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For ARKET’s first collection, launched in 2017, Carina Seth Andersson created a series of everyday bowls and plates in glazed clay that united the refined, simplistic expression of Nordic and Japanese crafts. The series was designed for the modern kitchen as multifunctional vessels for holding, preparing, and serving.
A characteristic spout runs as a red thread through the different designs, but as the size of the spout remains the same in bowls of different shapes and dimensions, the proportions are transformed and thus create a unique expression in each object. In spring 2022, some of these pieces were revisited and reintroduced alongside new and original designs.
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Carina Seth Andersson works out of her studio in the ceramic centre of Gustavsberg in the Stockholm archipelago.
Her products have been exhibited in galleries in New York, Paris, Milan, and Tokyo, and her pieces are part of the permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and Designmuseum Danmark in Copenhagen.
Care guides
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Jersey
Care guides|March 2025
Jersey is a knitted fabric commonly used to make T-shirts, loungewear, and more. Properly caring for your jersey garments will help maintain their softness and stretch.
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Synthetic fibres
Care guides|March 2025
Synthetic fibres such as polyester, polyamide, acrylic, and elastane have many useful properties that can be enjoyed in a variety of garments, including activewear and swimwear. They’re usually comfortable, quick-drying, and keep their shape well. However, they also shed tiny plastic particles that can enter the sea and cause harm to our ecosystems. Here’s how to care for synthetic garments.
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Silk
Care guides|March 2025
Silk is composed of incredibly fine natural protein fibres produced by silkworms. It is surprisingly strong, smooth, breathable, and transports moisture. Handle silk garments with care to maintain their smooth and lustrous texture.
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Canvas
Care guides|March 2025
Canvas items, such as shoes and bags, are popular for their durability and versatility. Proper care can help maintain their appearance and extend their lifespan.
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