VERPAN produces lamps, furniture and textiles designed by Verner Panton – in accordance with Panton’s original drawings and in cooperation with the Panton estate

VERPAN is re-introducing four Panton designs that were made in small quantities a long time ago, but never  launched commercially: a modular sofa, a flexible wall sculpture system, an interlocking seating and side table solution, and a table for dining or work. These new pieces show why Panton has won that reputation. But they also show another side, the pragmatic architect who was all about modularity and simple systems that just work. The combination is pure Panton – and pure genius.”

Jesper Møllgaard Jensen owner of Icons of Denmark explained, “We are delighted to have VERPAN on board. And having worked with Gertsen PR for almost 3 years on other account, we are pleased to appoint them to handle the account for VERPAN as well”.

www.iconsofdenmark.dk

The Diamond Jubilee bar from Rococo  Chocolates is an amusing little number
featuring a portrait of a Corgi, not only on the box wrapper, but also on
the bar itself.

The Mini bar is in one of Rococo’s most popular flavours – Organic Milk
Chocolate with Sea Salt. Rococo’s 37% chocolate blend includes cocoa beans from their own
Grococo farm in northern Grenada a and a little extra cocoa butter for a
silky  texture.  The  bar is a limited edition and will retail at £1.95 for  20g.

As  well as the bar, Rococo will also be doing a Union Jack box of chocolates
filled with a selection of their favourite ganaches.
It  will retail at £16 for 110g.  Both will be  available at all their London and Chester shops.

www.rococochocolates.com

Icons of Denmark and VERPAN, the Danish producer of some of Verner Panton’s most iconic lamp and furniture designs join in partnership to launch Verner Panton’s designs on the British market.

VERPAN’s CEO Peter Frandsen explained “We believe that the UK market has much more to offer, and we expect a lot from the cooperation with Icons of Denmark”,

“We are very proud to take on the challenge with this new and exciting relationship with VERPAN. Through our work representing   Danish Design Icons, we are seeing a growing trend of design oriented British consumers. Whether it is a result of the popular Danish drama series Borgen and The Killing or a general increased exposure of Danish brands and products in the media we can’t tell – probably  a mixture. The bottom line is that Danish Designer Icons are “hot” in the UK right now, and Panton was without doubt one of the biggest Icons of Denmark”, says Jesper Møllgaard Jensen owner of Icons of Denmark.

 At the iSaloni in Milan this Spring, VERPAN, reintroduced the world to four Panton designs that were made in small quantities years ago, but which were never  launched commercially: a modular sofa, a flexible wall sculpturesystem, an interlocking seating and side table solution, and a table for dining or work.

According to VERPAN’s Peter Frandsen, the launch showcased some of Panton’s best work. “Panton is rightfully known as a maverick who transformed Danish Design with new materials, graphic  designs and bold colours,” he says. “These new pieces certainly show why Panton has won that reputation. But they also show another side of Panton, the pragmatic architect who was all about modularity and simple systems that just work. The combination is pure Panton – and pure genius.”

VERPAN has been represented on the British market by John Close since 2010. In the future John Close will focus on the sale of lamps from VERPAN’s mother company, Frandsen Lighting A/S. Frandsen Lighting A/S owns VERPAN 100%.

 www.iconsofdenmark.dk   www.verpan.com

Note to editors:

VERPAN produces lamps, furniture and textiles designed by Verner Panton – in accordance with Panton’s original drawings and in cooperation with the Panton estate. For more information, visit www.verpan.com

 Mogens Koch’s Shelving System, a modern icon.

Two of Denmark’s greatest furniture designers – Hans J. Wegner and Mogens Koch – were brought together under one roof last year when Carl Hansen & Son acquired the prestigious furniture workshop Rud. Rasmussen. The alliance broadens Carl Hansen & Son’s portfolio of top Danish handcrafted furniture designs.

“Koch’s and Wegner’s pieces complement each other exceedingly well and are, by virtue of their simple  idiom and choice of materials, natural extensions of each other,” says Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son. “We are proud to be able to bring the two masters together, and especially to show the world the elegant aesthetics that are also characteristic of Mogens Koch’s work.”

Mogens Koch, an architect, is renowned for his Folding Furniture and his legendary Shelving System, which has become an icon for design lovers all over the world. When he  sketched out the Shelving System in 1928, he created a concept that would spawn countless reproductions far beyond Denmark’s borders. Rud. Rasmussen developed the first prototype in 1930, and production commenced in 1932. Today – 80 years later – the Mogens Koch Shelving System is still exclusively manufactured by the joinery workshop Rud. Rasmussens Snedkerier A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The system of quadratic bookcases is exceptionally flexible and features an extensive range of modular elements. The basic six-section unit  can be organised so that the sections are either short or tall depending on  their contents – an ingenious construction in its own right. Its beautiful dovetail and rabbet joints are characteristic features of both design and craftsmanship and give the individual units strength and stability.

Mogens Koch’s designs are few, but all are significant, pioneering, original, and at times daring. His furniture offers some of the most elegant and essential solutions to the requirements of comfort, functionality and aesthetics. Mogens Koch’s own life had a significant impact on the furniture pieces he designed over the years, and the Shelving System is no exception: he initially designed it for his own home, which had small rooms that required flexible shelving solutions.

The Shelving System is available in oak and ash with either soap or oil/white oil finishes. These versions will be in shops from September 2012. Other versions of the Shelving System are still marketed by Rud. Rasmussen Snedkerier A/S, Nørrebrogade 45, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Recommended retail price from £659, excluding VAT.

www.carlhansen.com                                          

Note to Editors:

Carl Hansen & Son is a Danish-owned furniture manufacturer established in 1908. The company is headquartered in Aarup, Denmark and currently has a staff of around 120. Carl Hansen & Son is one of Denmark’s oldest manufacturers of high-end furniture and the world’s largest producer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner. With solid roots in Danish cabinetmaking traditions

and an understanding of the latest in production technology, Carl Hansen & Son creates furniture that lasts for generations.

Designer furniture from Carl Hansen & Son is sold all over the world. See more at www.carlhansen.com.

Nordic Elements is not just about Scandinavian cool colours – one of the brands they are agents for is Neon Living and they have some vibrant pieces for all over the house. So if you need some colour in your life, look no further.

There are colours for the bathroom, kitchen, living room, office and basically anywhere else you think can do with being livened up a bit.

Price for Loo Role Holder is £54, Napkin Holder £12 and Kitchen Roll Holder £27.50.

The Rainbow hooks come in two sizes and retail at £60 for a short and £85 for a long.   All these colourful products are made acrylic.

The range is varied and also include colourful cushions and wall storage, so have a look at www.nordicelements.com  to see the full range.

Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference. The pretty candle holder with the right coloured candle and the napkin with a pretty napkin ring, can create a just the ambiance you want.

 DAY Home’s AW2012 range has an abundance of pretty, timeless and useful objects to help you achieve just the look you want.

Silver platters and candle holders add a touch of glamour to any room.  These retail at:  Small Tray: £85, Big Tray: £ 130, Candle Holder: £165

And these pretty napkin rings and napkin make the table setting look inviting and welcoming; Prices as follows: Napkin Ring: £11 Napkin: £9

 All stockists available from www.iconsofdenmark.dk  0771 449 1688

 Wegner’s stylish and timeless lamp range – Opala

Danish furniture manufacturer Carl Hansen & Son and lighting manufacturer Pandul have joined forces internationally to distribute and sell the most coveted Danish lighting designs. The partnership enables Carl Hansen & Son to exhibit Hans J. Wegner’s entire design range, floor to ceiling.

”Not many people know that in addition to his world-renowned furniture, Wegner’s body of work also includes a number of recognised lighting designs,” says Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son. He continues:  ”We wanted to offer a complete Wegner portfolio, so the partnership with Pandul made perfect sense. The Opala range is an excellent example of Wegner’s interpretation of light. In all its simplicity, it is a timeless piece with distinctive design elements, excellent usability and craftsmanship.” 

The Opala range was originally designed for the rooms of Hotel Scandinavia in Copenhagen at the time of the hotel’s grand opening in 1973. The first white Opala lamps were later produced for Churchill College in Cambridge, UK.

The lamps’ distinctive, almost futuristic look with clean lines gives them broad appeal and makes them equally well suited for hotels, public buildings, offices and private homes.

The range comprises desk lamps, floor lamps and pendants – six models in all – available with either black or white chrome tops. Every model features a shade in impact-resistant, high-gloss opal acrylic. The shade’s top is made of wet-painted aluminium, the lamp base is in wet-painted solid steel and the stand is high-gloss steel chrome.

Recommended retail price from £380, excluding VAT.

www.carlhansen.com                  

 Carl Hansen & Son is a Danish-owned furniture manufacturer established in 1908. The company is headquartered in Aarup, Denmark and currently has a staff of around 120. Carl Hansen & Son is one of Denmark’s oldest manufacturers of high-end furniture and the world’s largest producer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner. With solid roots in Danish cabinetmaking traditions

and an understanding of the latest in production technology, Carl Hansen & Son creates furniture that lasts for generations. Designer furniture from Carl Hansen & Son is sold all over the world. See more at www.carlhansen.com.

A unique cuvee, the first chocolate bar to be transported by Fair Transport sail to the UK. Priced in a way to shock: you enjoy the chocolate, the producers get the money – 100% of the profits! This chocolate bar has been artisanally manufactured minutes away from the 9 acre ‘Grococo’ farm in Hermitage, St Andrews, where the cocoa was harvested in February, 2012. 
The dried cocoa beans are roasted and winnowed and the chocolate made at the Grenada Chocolate Company’s solar-powered micro-factory up the road. Antique melangeurs, home-made cocoa butter presses and modern refining and tempering equipment sit side by side in this extraordinary operation. To complete the environmentally sustainable circle, all the bars left Grenada on the Tres Hombres, a 32m square-rigged wooden sailing cargo ship with no engine on March 24th, 2012.

The chocolate bars quietly matured on their 6 week journey to the UK, in the solar and wind-cooled holds. The 66% cocoa recipe, delicately roasted, ground and gently conched, brings out the best qualities of the pure Grenadian Trinitario terroir: full of fruit with notes of tobacco and grass which are typical of this extraordinary varietal.

Gru Grococo is exclusively available at the Rococo shops and website. All profits from this limited edition bar will be put back to support the radical organic cocoa co-operative in Grenada.

As with special vintages of wines this chocolate is available en primeur if you buy before the bars reach the UK, at a special price. This offer will end on 21st May. In Rococo shops they will retail at £11.95 a bar en primeur on the website £11.00 (Or 6 bars at £60 see this page)

Orders will be despatched as soon as the chocolate arrives in London. Normal P&P apply. Alternatively, call 020 8761 8456 x 211 to arrange collection in one of our London stores.

www.rococochocolates.com
 
 

The KiBiSi design group and Louis Poulsen are launching a different interpretation of the adaptation of lighting for architecture.

Morphing is a graphic technique whereby a picture makes a transition into another picture through a smooth movement.

The KiBiSi design group trio, Jens Martin Skibsted, Lars Larsen and Bjarke Ingels, have reinterpreted wall and ceiling lighting, drawing on the morphing design concept. In cooperation with Louis Poulsen, the result is the exciting new product –Silverback – now ready to be launched around the world.

No matter how much priority architects give to natural lighting in buildings, it is necessary to supplement this with artificial light to optimize working conditions and comfort for humans. This is the major challenge in all building projects and Louis Poulsen has worked with architects for years, striving to create a harmonic synergy between architecture and lighting.

Silverback is an example of a very innovative way of creating cohesion between spatial elements and light.

Silverback is a super minimalistic fixture. At first glance it may look familiar, but a closer look reveals it as the result of innovation.

Silverback has a soft harmonic shape which unites the silver coloured half with the opal white diffuser. A simple decorative line marks the join and highlights the circular shape in a distinct manner. A visual detail which is retained whether the light is on or off.

The silver effect and the depth of perception of the material is achieved by metal-lising the inner surface of one half of the shade. Not only does this conceal the light source, it also reflects the mounting surface and permits a certain amount of light to pass through, thereby illuminating the surface behind the product with a decorative halo. The mirror effect is retained even when the light is on, drawing the mounting surface into the fixture and abolishing the visual boundary between the product and wall or ceiling.

This effect offers a unique experience in relation to all aspects of the mounting surface – texture, colour or material. It simply has unlimited applications.

The rear half of Silverback also appears slightly transparent, giving the product a sense of lightness.

The opal diffuser provides soft and comfortable illumination of the space around the fixture and the simplistic design makes the fixture ideal for either solo placement or repetitive installations. The fixture has a discreet presence in every type of project, without losing its identity.

A fluorescent tube version of SILVERBACK is being launched in April and a LED version ready for autumn.

Louis Poulsen is looking forward to the launch with excitement. “It is a different way of integrating light and architecture. In the past we have had a major focus on the simplicity of design offering many possibilities, but SILVERBACK represents new ways of integrating architectural elements with the fixture itself,” notes Flemming Hald, Product and Design Director at Louis Poulsen.

KiBiSi is one of the most influential design groups in Scandinavia today, and works with a broad range of disciplines, designing everything from furniture and house-hold appliances to bicycles and aeroplanes. KiBiSi was founded in Copenhagen by Lars Larsen, Bjarke Ingels Group and Jens Martin Skibsted. Each partner contributes ideas and expertise from their special interest areas, giving KiBiSi valuable knowl-edge about architecture, design, furniture, electronics and contemporary culture and lifestyle.

 www.louispoulsen.com

Nothing is more satisfying that snuggling up in a warm blanket whether you are at home or on the beach, whether you are a “grown up” or a child. Nordic Elements have some fabulous, fun and eco friendly ones for the whole family.

The beautiful blankets have  fun designs by Matthew Langille. The blankets are made using the finest 100% Ecotex brushed cotton making them not only stylish but incredibly soft and gorgeous. The blankets are available in 2 designs ‘Seaworld’ & ‘Predator’ and 3 sizes: Baby, Junior, and Adult.  They are available in a range of natural colours.

 Prices are as follows: Baby £47.00, Child £75.00 add Adult £115.00 all prices include VAT.

www.nordicelements.com  

0844 561 6029