Spoke-Back Sofa in Gray Hallingdal Fabric by Børge Mogensen for Fritz Hansen, 1970s

Learn More about Borge Mogensen

Borge Mogensen (1914-1974) was an influential designer in the Danish design movement. His highly functional Furniture designs gained international respect and helped popularise the Danish Modern style. Born in Aalborg, Denmark, Mogensen studied Furniture design under professor Kaare Klint at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts (1936-38). Continuing his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts he became later Klint’s teaching assistant.

The Early Years of Borge Mogensen

Greatly influenced by friend and mentor Kaare Klint, Borge Mogensen designs are characterised by their functionality, the unique combining of practical materials and by sharp clear lines. Mogensen enjoyed a prolific career. His work was regularly exhibited at the Copenhagen Cabinetmaker’s Guild Exhibition and in the 1940s he was Head of Furniture Design for the Danish Consumers Cooperative Society. His most iconic designs include the Spokeback Sofa, the Hunting Chair and the Spanish Chair. Honoured with the Eckersberg Medal in 1950 and the Copenhagen Carpentry Guild annual prize in 1953, he received the C.F Hansen Medal and the Honorary Royal Designer For Industry distinction following his death in 1972.

Borge Mogensen at PAMONO

PAMONO’s Borge Mogensen collection features a range of iconic designs including his infamous Spanish Chairs. These stylish pieces are typical of the Danish Modern style and compliment minimalist or industrial settings. Their functionality and elegant aesthetic have stood the test of time. Mogensen’s designs still enjoy worldwide demand. Be it in the bedroom, living room or dining room Mogensen’s statement pieces will add an air of sophistication and grace. Our collection, like from Kristian Kappel or Nordlings , always prioritises unique pieces of the utmost quality. Our curated collection has the perfect piece to suit every need and taste. PAMONO only features the best designers to make sure you find the authentic, quality piece you’re looking for.

Danish cabinetmaker Fritz Hansen founded his eponymous furniture manufacturing company with his son Christian in Copenhagen in 1885. The first three decades were dedicated to hand-making wood and iron frames for upholstered furniture. In 1915, however, Christian began to introduce industrial processes, such as steam-bending wood, which enabled the family business to mass-produce at a larger scale.

In 1932, Christian brought in his own sons, Fritz and Søren, who updated the product line to include more modernist styles, like Søren’s Thonet-inspired DAN Chair (1930) and a cantilevered wicker and tubular steel chair by architect Mogens Lassen (1933). Other early classics in the Fritz Hansen catalog include Kaare Klint’s Church Chair (1936), Hans Wegner’s China Chair (1944), and Børge Mogensen’s Spoke Back Sofa (1945).

During the 1950s—thanks especially to the contributions of architect Arne Jacobsen—Fritz Hansen entered its golden era, creating some of the most iconic Scandinavian designs of the 20th century. Arne Jacobsen’s Ant Chair (1952), Swan Sofa (1958) and Egg Chair & Ottoman (1958), as well as later designs by Verner Panton, Piet Hein, and Grete Jalk, all helped to cement Fritz Hansen’s legacy as one of the most beloved producers of high quality, simple-yet-elegant, Danish modern furniture.

In 1979, after 107 years of family ownership, Fritz Hansen was bought out by Skandinavisk Holding and is now known as The Republic of Fritz Hansen. Pieces from the company’s long history can be found in nearly every design museum collection there is, from MoMA and Cooper Hewitt in New York to the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Arne Jacobsen’s collaboration with Fritz Hansen was the subject of the Siéntate Siéntete exhibition, hosted by the Chamber of Architects in Madrid in 2010.  

* All images courtesy of Republic of Fritz Hansen.