Established in 1831, Sahco is renowned for its luxurious, high-quality textiles. In 2018, Kvadrat acquired the business and in January this year at Paris Déco Off, the fabric company’s 200-year-old story took another twist with the unveiling of the first collection under its new creative director Bengt Thornefors.
The appointment of the Swedish designer and co-founder of bedwear brand Magniberg was a bold move for the venerable German fabric house, but a smart one. Impressed by his work for Magniberg, Saint Laurent and Acne, Kvadrat CEO Anders Byriel knew Thornefors was the radical talent he needed.
‘He brings strong vision and ideas of the past and future into the interior space,’ Byriel says. Thornefors immediately saw parallels with the world of fashion; ‘Sahco has to be treated as a maison. I said to Anders that this is how I will proceed.’
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Whether it’s his name (‘Bengt is an old man’s name!’ he jokes), his home – an 18th-century house outside Stockholm filled with contemporary art and furniture – or his work, Thornefors is in constant dialogue between past and present. It’s all he’s known. ‘My mother is from Thailand, my father is Swedish and I was born here [in Sweden]. Growing up we visited auctions and flea markets so I’ve always been interested in things with a past. I don’t think the new needs to exclude the old.’
His first collection has a lightness of spirit grounded by two centuries’ worth of craftsmanship. Featherweight organzas sit alongside lived-in chenilles, linens shot through with sexy Lurex stripes and organic cottons alive with hand-drawn flora and fauna.
The monochromatic palette is lifted by vibrant shades of pink, red, lilac and lime. Edgy yet sensual, it’s an unapologetically forward-thinking statement of intent. ‘I try to see how the layers work together,’ Thornefors explains.
‘We have this white organza mesh, an off-white toile with a beautiful bird inspired by Japanese kimonos on top, then a washed-out sofa next to it. You have that shine and sheer, then the matte surface. It’s this high-low thing, like how we dress; I don’t think wearing a coat from Savile Row means you can’t put on a worn-out T-shirt.’
Thornefors wants to delight existing fans and find new ones. ‘We have to offer a beautiful foundation that people can relate to, but in parallel with something that is a bit challenging,’ he declares, using the floral ‘Shigeru’ fabric as an example: ‘We offer it in classic colours but also in black with acid green.’ It’s this mix of raw and refined that he believes is critical to Sahco’s evolution. We can’t wait to see what’s next. sahco.com
