Dinner Party Days

Fashion Diary…

Kickstart spring with this season’s playful, sporty take on power tailoring, featuring over-sized fits paired with something light, tight or textured.

By Åsa H. Aaberge | Press photos

Transition into the new season with a timeless appearance. The Reno houndstooth windowpane check coat in handwoven tweed from Danish Wood Wood is a sleek merge between a classic peacoat and a durable workwear jacket. Layer with a soft flannel cotton shirt underneath. Wood Wood Reno coat, €800 Avenir shirt, €165 www.woodwood.com

As we welcome March, we welcome back the sun. The champagne and royal blue Foster sunglasses from Norwegian Frank Walton make the ideal outfit topper with a perfectly on-trend round frame and warm shades. Frank Walton, Foster sunglasses, €225 www.frankwaltonoslo.com

The melton wool trousers from Arket are tailored for a versatile, straight fit with pressed details and a hardwearing yet soft, felt-like fabric. The light-beige hue adds nicely to a brighter spring pallet. Arket, melton wool trousers, €125 www.arket.com

A penny loafer is perfect for warmer days and an essential that is easy to wear with everything from casual wear to business attire. Sport the Penny loafer from Stockholm-based Morjas, with ribbed wool socks, for everyday use. This model, pictured in suede, has durable, comfy leather and is sold in a variety of colours and textures. Morjas, Penny loafers, €200 www.morjas.com

A traditional tailoring element, the waistcoat is part of the three-piece suit. However, it can just as well be worn alone as a top or over a shirt or T-shirt. The waistcoat as a top-trend has made a comeback over the latest few seasons, in line with the trends of the early 2000s coming back into fashion. Femme Gilet striped, €130 www.aiayu.com

An oversized blazer worn with a voluminous, embroidered princess skirt offers the perfect contrast between sharp and playful, a combination interpreted by various designers this season. You can wear this outfit from Danish Skall Studios in countless ways: with trainers, with high heels, with a knit or a structured shirt – or indeed, wear the pieces separately as part of other creative outfits! Skall Studio, Astrid skirt, €460 Joan blazer, €375 www.skallstudio.com

Name a more timeless, seasonless and chic coat than the trench coat? We’ll wait! It is versatile and classy, and great with skirts, jeans and dresses alike. This trench coat from & Other Stories, made in organic cotton, offers a relaxed fit featuring iconic details with a double-breasted silhouette, a tonal buckle belt and buttoned shoulder tabs. & Other Stories, Double Breasted trench coat, €150 www.stories.com

Slip-on ballerinas go with everything and are great shoes for spring. The Brindisi ballerina loafers from Swedish ATP Atelier are made in soft leather and neutral colours. Wear light, neat shoes with tailored, oversized garments to add a feminine touch and a spring in your step. ATP Atelier Brindisi ballerina, €290 www.atpatelier.com

We Love This

The first rays of spring sun are getting stronger, and so too is our appetite for socialising. Surely that alone is worth a dinner party? Nothing fancy – good friends, good food and good design. The first two are up to you, but we have you covered on good design. Check out Scan Magazine’s five dinner party must-haves to create a beautiful atmosphere.

By Lena Hunter | Press photos

Champagne saucers – better known as coupes – rose to prominence in the 20th century and have become perennial signifiers of boozy opulence. The shape suits rounder, more complex styles of wine: the shallow bowl prevents excessive production of bubbles, while the large surface area allows aroma and flavour to develop. fermLIVING’s charming, rippled set are mouth-blown and have all the vintage romance of high-society parties gone-by. Here’s looking at you, kid. fermLIVING Champagne saucers, set of two, €39 www.fermliving.com

With two interior-design releases a year, Broste Copenhagen’s collections tread the line between tradition and trends. Their range of artistic homewares are novel without being kitsch. The Limfjord Plate – named after the eponymous Danish waters famed for shrimp and oysters – has an elegant organic form and neutral glaze that complements any table setting. Broste Copenhagen Limfjord plate, €21 www.brostecopenhagen.com

Småland-based Cooee started as a jewellery label in 2005. After expanding into home accessories ten years later, it’s now one of Scandinavia’s most lusted-after new names in interior design. Because the Swoop brass candlestick, designed by Norwegian architect Hans-Christian Bauer, elevates the candle, it avoids the often heavy and unwieldy aesthetic of table lighting. Swoop is quietly beautiful and can sit non-invasively amongst plates and wine glasses. Cooee Swoop candlestick, €58 www.cooee.se

Would a Scandi dinner party be complete without some Georg Jensen bling? Denmark’s hallowed silverware label needs no branding and little introduction. The Bottega Veneta of tableware, its unmistakeable curves betray it immediately. “Is that a Georg Jensen?” your guests will ask. “Yes – a Henning Koppel,” you’ll reply. The Danish artist, Koppel, collaborated with Georg Jensen in 1945 and for almost 40 years, and his masterful designs – like the HK Pitcher – continue to enchant. Georg Jensen HK pitcher, €230 www.georgjensen.com

Scandinavian textile label Himla swears by linen. “It creates fascinating contrasts: rough and smooth, airy and rugged,” they explain. The tablecloths from the Sunshine range are finely woven and washed for a soft feel. Giving a relaxed impression, the fabric can be dressed up or down according to the occasion. What’s more, they’re easy-care, so spilt wine is a non-issue. A broad range of colours is available, but this exquisite sage green gives rustic, late-summer gathering vibes and is the perfect canvas for a splash of decoration. Himla tablecloth, €129 www.himla.com

Everyday luxury for outdoor spaces

Drop’s award-winning spas have been built using state-of-the-art technology and top-quality materials. The company’s sleek and stylish outdoor fires and spas offer a touch of luxury for any home.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Drop Design Pool Oy

Drop was originally founded by renowned Finnish designer Nikolai Ruola. He had grown tired of the traditional hot tubs that were on the market, and wondered if he could create one with a unique design: an outdoor spa that would be eye-catching in design, but also user-friendly. And that’s the story of how Drop was born, inspired by the shape of the spa Ruola had designed.

Drop spas are designed using what is state-of-the-art technology and only the best-quality materials. Showcasing a sleek, Finnish functionalist design, the company has clients across Europe, and the spas are sold at several retailers all over the continent. “In a relatively short amount of time, we’ve managed to build a name for ourselves as the go-to company for stylish spas,” says Sirena Kiviranta, board member and owner at Drop.

What sets Drop apart from other brands is that their spas can be embedded anywhere, and the spas can be panelled with any material. “From marble to wood panelling, our spas are designed to suit the needs of all our clients. Our spas vary in pricing and can be tailored according to our clients’ wishes,” says Kiviranta.

Drop has been recognised widely across the globe and has won several awards, such as the prestigious A’ Design Award Bathroom Furniture and Sanitary Ware Design Category in 2019. In addition, Drop won the Design Deed of the Year award from the Association for Finnish Work in 2015. The company was recognised for its originality, a sense of responsibility, and design as part of everyday life. Drop is the only company that has won the award for outdoor spas.

“Drop has proven that there is demand for functional and minimalistic Nordic design spas and our outdoor Fire. We are on a journey to become the Finnish outdoor design brand of the 2020s,” Kiviranta continues.

Everything you need, ready to go The Drop spa is sold in a basic package, which includes everything needed for a quick and easy installation. The design of the spas has been carefully thought of: from the design inside of the drop-shaped basin to its sleek and refined look. “Most traditional hot tubs have walls at a 90-degree angle, which

means they are not very comfortable to sit in for any great length of time. In Drop spas, a person sits in a comfortable and ergonomic position. The seat has a slight upward slope, allowing users to sit comfortably,” Kiviranta explains.

Another added benefit of the spas’ inside shape is that the volume of water in the spa decreases, while the amount of water used to fill the spa remains in the same range as in hot tubs with a much smaller inside diameter.

The Drop spa comes with an aluminium frame and plywood panelling, which makes it really easy to embed it in a terrace or add custom-made panelling. “The installation of our spas is very easy. Our electrically heated Drop spas are designed for year-round use and can be kept ready to use no matter the weather,” Kiviranta adds.

Bringing Finnish design to the world As well as spas, Drop has launched a new range, called Drop Fire. The high-quality outdoor Fire with a bioethanol burner is designed and handmade in Finland. Following the same shape as the Drop spas, they make a stylish addition to any outdoor space. Kiviranta highlights their multifunctionality: “In addition to the bioethanol burner, you can use the Drop Fire with wood or coal. When you put the cover on, it serves as a table.”

She concludes: “We want our customers to be able to enjoy high-quality Finnish design. Our spas are able to enhance any outside space and add a nice touch of comfort and pampering – as well as something that is very pleasing to the eye.”

Web: www.dropdesignspa.com Instagram: @dropdesignspa Facebook: Drop Design Spa

ÜNIKU: the slow-living lifestyle brand you need in your home

It’s rare to discover an emerging label that feels truly grounded. So, when lifestyle brand ÜNIKU launched last year, rooted in “calm, order, traditions and respect”, it became an instant hidden gem of Danish design.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Stine Albertsen

delegate the handiwork to small-scale local producers,” says Helle. “Everything fits together. People love to buy a lounge set and a pair of coffee cups together, or a wash bag with a knit.”

The ÜNIKU universe ÜNIKU may be young, but Mette and Helle have always had a clear vision for the label. “We wanted to create a living universe. A universe where there were clothes and baskets and ceramics. Where everything is sustainable, long-lasting and made with love,” they say.

Joking that they’re the “peaceful ones in the office”, Mette and Helle founded ÜNIKU on the same mindful attitudes. “We’ve always been about conscious business, so it’s a joy to be able to share that.”

Founders Mette Skouboe Schultze and Helle Bjerre Knudsen call it a “little universe”. It’s apt: every product is crafted with the help of former partners and independent artisans. “Everything is made with respect for people and nature. We want to express something peaceful, natural and made to be kept forever,” says Mette.

Danish ceramics and Balinese baskets If ÜNIKU’s hand-turned ceramic coffee cup, breakfast bowl and candleholder didn’t have such a contemporary design appeal, you could almost mistake them for organic stone forms found on the beach.

Rough to the touch, glazed in sandy palettes, and flecked with salt-and-pepper tones reminiscent of Scandinavia’s rocky coastline, the Craft ceramic collection is designed in partnership with a local Danish ceramicist. “We’re very inspired by ceramic tradition and creating a tranquil aesthetic universe,” says Helle.

Authentic craft is at the centre of that universe. The beautiful Ayu range of kitchen baskets and trays are woven by a family in Bali. The rattan weave is strong, flexible, and has a burnished-gold sheen. “It’s a wonderful collaboration. Their work is incredibly skilled, but they were struggling for clients since travel restrictions slowed tourism in Bali,” explains Mette.

Loungewear and textiles Perhaps the most illustrative of ÜNIKU’s slow-living philosophy is the loungewear range: thick, wool-cashmere knits in navy and alabaster, and deliciously soft button-down lounge sets. Mette and Helle, who share a background in textiles, designed the line themselves.

“We also have handmade wash bags produced by a fair-trade set-up in India. They

Web: www.unikuliving.com Instagram: @unikuliving