Design story
Illum Wikkelso lounge chairs produced by Søren Willadsen in 1950s. A rare pair of lounge chairs, oak frame, top rail and armrests in teak, loose spring cushions upholstered in white boucle fabric.
Søren Willadsen was a Danish furniture maker from the 1940s to the late 1960s. Willadsen mainly produced seating, armchairs, chairs and sofas for Danish designers such as Solmer Vedel, Finn Juhl, Illum Wikkelsø and Nana Ditzel.
Wikkelso (spelled Wikkelsø) might be less known than other Scandinavian designers such as Hans J Wegner or Børge Mogensen. Nonetheless he was a great contributor of the expansion of Scandinavian design in the 1950s and 1960s.
As many other designers of his time, Wikkelso’s career started as a cabinetmaker in 1938. He later studied at Danish School of Design where he graduated in 1941. After graduating he held positions with the cabinetmaker Jacob Kjaer and the architectural firm of Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard-Nielsen. A few years later, Wikkelso moved to Aarhus (second largest city in Denmark) where he worked as an interior designer.
When Wikkelso began designing his own furniture in 1954, his career really took off. A few years later he started his own workshop. His background in cabinetry meant he had an very good understanding of the material he worked with (mostly rosewood and teak). The Illum Wikkelso lounge chairs is a good example hereof.
This deep understanding of material meant that he only worked with the best furniture manufacturers. During his career he collaborated with manufacturers such as Holgar Christiansen, and Soren Willadsen who manufactured the Illum Wikkelso lounge chairs listed here.
The style of his design is a balance between aestheticism, simplicity and functionality. Wikkelso believed that furniture should be built to last while cradling the body and pleasing the eye.
The rich, organic quality of Wikkelso’s designs found on the vintage market is a reflection of his status as an active contributor of Scandinavian modernism in the post-war era.
