Mette Hay & Rolf Hay, Founders of HAY

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ABOUT HAY was founded in 2002, and within a year the company launched its first furniture collection at the international furniture fair IMM in Cologne.

2 ABOUT HAY was founded in 2002, and within a year the company launched its first furniture collection at the international furniture fair IMM in Cologne. This marked the beginnings of the international ambition that HAY has pursued over the past decade: creating durable quality furniture at affordable prices to allow as many people as possible to enjoy excellent design. HAY looks back with pride at the age of the Danish Modern, where quality, craftsmanship and humanistic design put Denmark on the global map, and we look with excitement to the future as we explore the current possibilities inherent in new technologies, new materials and new ways of living with furniture. Our world is constantly changing, and our habits and our need for flexibility change with them. We consider it our principal task to provide functional answers to functional needs. Answers that are translated into meaningful and authentic products that have a long life span and are available at a democratic price. To achieve this goal, we work with some of the world s leading designers, both the upand-coming and the more established, who deliver innovative, quirky and unconventional ideas that can be translated into innovative form. In 2005, HAY launched an accessory line with some specially selected products found around the world. These products had an original story and were perfect for both the modern workplace and private homes. This is the standard we are still aiming for in the development of our own accessories, ranging from paper articles, storage solutions and tableware to textiles, small furniture pieces and blankets, which we create in cooperation with international designers and our own in-house design team. Today, HAY is a global corporation that employs hundreds of people in countries around the world, and we take pride in this achievement. We are inclusive where it is possible and try to establish sustainable workplaces where it makes sense. 2

3 I m extremely passionate about prototyping. Sometimes it s difficult for me to sleep the night before I m seeing a prototype, I m so looking forward to it. Mette Hay & Rolf Hay, Founders of HAY

4 HEY HEY HAY We have met Mette and Rolf Hay for an interview about their mission, pro and cons about the job and their passion for design. Current projects Rolf: We have just launched a big outdoor-furniture collection with the Bouroullecs that we ve been working on for about two years. It s a collection of metal dining chairs, tables, stools, bar stools, benches, dining benches, lounge chairs, a sofa it s quite a big arrangement. Of course, as always, it was a fantastic experience to work with the Bouroullecs. They are extremely passionate and they take on all details. It s very unusual with designers on that level that they have their hands on everything, but they really do. Mette: I have been working a lot on our Mini Market concept, which we launched at the MoMA Design Store in New York last month. And at Maison & Object in Paris, in addition to the outdoor furniture, we also launched a new mirror collection by Minga Sempé and a new laundry basket by Big Game, and of course a lot of small objects and products made in-house and with different external designers. Mission Mette: Rolf and I met two years before we started the company. We both worked with a Danish company that represented Cappellini in Denmark at that time, and we really loved the way that Giulio Cappellini was creating his collection. We felt like there were a lot of people who could understood this kind of design, these colors, these objects who very often couldn t afford to buy these products. Rolf: I think from the very beginning it was quite obvious to us that we wanted to do high-quality design products in an affordable context. And that will still our mission we want to do products with some of the best and most talented designers, but always in an affordable context. I think we ve partly succeeded in that. Background Rolf: I don t have any education. I think I can hardly spell my own name. Honestly, I went to high school. That s it. Then I started to work for different design companies in Denmark, and I knew right away that this is what I want to do. Mette: I grew up in the industry enviroment. My parents had been running a design store since I was a little girl. I was 24 years old when we started here, Therefore I do not have so much background, but I worked for different design companies in Denmark before we started HAY. Who is your design hero? Rolf: Charles and Ray Eames. There s no doubt about it. They were the first ones with molded plyswood; they were the first ones with fiberglass. Charles was extremely visionary, and then he had a good eye and a good sense of proportions. And Ray was at an extremely high artistic level; her sense for textiles and colours was really incredible. I could talk for hours about what they ve done. They re so dear to us. Mette: Also, when you look at a lot of the pictures of the studio, it seems like it was such a good time, and very colorful. Rolf: You could see that they had fun. I know there are rumors that Charles was always taking credit for all the work in the studio, but when you look at the images and hear people talking about that time, you can tell it was a lot about fun. This is also important to us. Designing and developing something is about putting io. designers, engineers, toolmakers and all these people in one pot, and then developing something together. And the energy comes from fun and passion. This was a big inspiration. Describe your workspace Mette: Our head office is in Jutland, where we have all our administration, sales, buying, warehouse and logistics. And then in Copenhagen, we have our design studios, where Rolf and I are based. We work here together with our internal designer team, our product developer and architects who are doing new shops. We re in a very old historical building in the center of Copenhagen, which is near to our flagship store, HAY House. In fact we have five floors. It s a very nice place. Rolf: The energy of the city has always been important to us. Mette and I are both from a countryside, and I think if you are from the countryside, you will enjoy the city more. And Copenhagen is a beautiful city the beauty of Copenhagen has always inspired us in a special way. Mette: And it s very important for us to be near our customers. We have kept this very close contact to our flagship store, and we go there often, sometimes to test a new product, to see it in an environment. It s very nice to go there and see people shopping. What is the best part of your job? Rolf: For me, the best part is the moment when an object goes from being a drawing to the first mockup of a full-size prototype. I am extremely passionate about the prototyping, because there s nothing worse than a bad prototype. You know, sitting with the drawing, looking at the first renderings on the computer, it s always interesting. But the moment where you go to a full-size prototype, that s the best part for me. Of course, it can also sometimes be extremely disappointing. But if it s good, then it is fantastic, this moment when you feel a chair for the first time. Sometimes it s difficult for me to sleep the night before I m seeing a prototype, I m so looking forward to it. Mette: I think the same goes for me, but Rolf is definitely more into this. This process if something that is making Rolf totally high. For me, it may be more about when a designer comes with a proposal, and I see a new or original idea or a clever design. What is the worst part of your job? Rolf: To be honest, I m always extremely scared of not being a success. I m always scared to fail. This is, for me, extremely tough, and has always been. It is not about proving myself to those around me. It is more about the fact that when you employ over 200 people then it is a huge responsibility. It is fantastic to give jobs to so many people but it s also a big responsibility and a burden. So the worst part for me is that I m afraid of failing. Mette: Yeah. The more people you employ, the bigger this thing feels on your shoulders. I think some people from outside could say, How can you have this feeling when things are going very well for you and the company is growing? But there is this other side to it. What is the most important quality in a designer? Rolf: I think passion is probably the most important thing. Of course it does not work without talent. You have to be able to work extremely hard for a long time and be very focused. But without the passion, there is no mission. 6 7

6 COPENHAGUE DEUX COLLECTION Kollektionen Copenhague er designet til Københavns universitet KUA. Bourollec brødrene har med Copenhague serien forsøgt at skabe en vifte af pædagogiske møbler, som i form og identitet er tidssvarende, og som på en overbevisende måde. Det har desuden været deres ambition at distancere sig fra det typiske institutionelle udtryk af tradiotionelle pædagogiske møbler og skabe møbler med større originalitet og et mere hjemlige udtryk.

CAN COLLECTION In the Can sofa, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are seeking to go beyond the creation of a practical, elegant and

The intention is to reinvigorate the whole idea of the sofa, from something inherently complicated to something simple, relaxed

The sofa comes flat-packed and is assembled at home as we believe people are keen to get things in a quick and simple way.

7 CAN COLLECTION In the Can sofa, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are seeking to go beyond the creation of a practical, elegant and comfortable design. The intention is to reinvigorate the whole idea of the sofa, from something inherently complicated to something simple, relaxed and for everybody. The sofa comes flat-packed and is assembled at home as we believe people are keen to get things in a quick and simple way. It is better for all ressources. It is less transportation, less volume, less stock, it is just much easier to do. The idea of the name Can is that you can, you can make it, just don t be afraid. Maybe the sofa will raise the fear can I do this?, is it going to be right? So it is implemented into the name itself, just don t be afraid, it will work,

8 PALLISADE COLLECTION Palissade is a complete collection of outdoor furniture. The collection designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec ranges from tables and benches over sofas to dining and lounge chairs. The 13 elements in the collection are made from electro-galvanized powder coated steel and will be available in light grey, anthracite and olive.

9 COPENHAGUE COLLECTION PALLISADE COLLECTION CPH 220 Ø75 X H75 CM CPH 250 Ø75 X H39 CM CPH 210 L75 X W75 x H75 CM CPH 210 L140/200 X W75 x H75 CM Dining Armchair W63 X D66 X H45/80 CM Lounge Chair High W92 X D73 X H38/80 CM Lounge Chair Low W73 X D73 X H38/70 CM Chair W47X D56 X H45/80 CM Arm Chair W51X D56 X H45/80 CM CAN COLLECTION Bar Stool W38 X D45 X H78 CM Bench W120 X D42 X H45 CM Lounge Sofa W139 X D88 X H38/70 CM Dining Bench W128 X D70 X H45/80 CM Can Lounge Chair (1 seater) L87,5/89,5 X W97 X H40/68/82 CM Can Sofa (2 seater) L87,5/89,5 X W172 X H20/68/82 CM Can Sofa (3 seater) L87,5/89,5 X W247 X H20/68/82 CM Table L160 X W80 X H74 CM Table L80 X W80 X H74 CM Ottoman W65 X D60 X H37 CM Stool W37 X D42 X H45 CM 16 17

10 COPENHAGUE COLLECTION Product Size Material Colours Price CPH 220 Ø75 x H75 cm Oak 1299,00,- CPH 250 Ø75 x H39 cm Oak 849,00,- CPH 110 L75 x W75 x H75 cm Oak 3999,00 CPH 210 L140/200 x W75 x H75 cm Oak 4199,00,- PALLISADE COLLECTION Product Size Material Colours Price Dining Armchair W63 x D66 x H45/80 cm Coated Steel 1449,00,- Lounge Chair High W92 x D73 x H38/80 cm Coated Steel 1249,00,- Lounge Chair Low W73 x D81 x H38/70 cm Coated Steel 1049,00,- Chair W47 x D56 x H45/80 cm Coated Steel 999,00,- Arm Chair W51 x D56 x H45/80 cm Coated Steel 1399,00,- Bar Stool W38 x D45 x H78 cm Coated Steel 849,00,- Bench W120 x D42 x H45 cm Coated Steel 2049,00,- CAN COLLECTION Product Size Material Colours Price Can Lounge Chair (1 seater) L87,5/89,5 x W97 x H40/68/82 cm Powder coated steel, canvas 3799,00,- Can Sofa (2 seater) L87,5/89,5 x W172,4 x H20/68/82 cm Powder coated steel, canvas 7499,00,- Can Sofa (3 seater) L87,5/89,5 x W247 x H40/68/82 cm Powder coated steel, canvas 9699,00,- Lounge Sofa W139 x D88 x H38/70 cm Coated Steel 3199,00,. Dining Bench W128 x D70 x H45/80 cm Coated Steel 3449,00,- Table L160 x W80 x H74 cm Coated Steel 5099,00,- Table L80 x W80 x H74 cm Coated Steel 4049,00,- Ottoman W65 x D60 x H37 cm Coated Steel 2099,00,- Stool W37 x D42 x H45 cm Coated Steel 2449,00,

11 HAY DENMARK Nine United Denmark A/S Havnen Horsens Denmark Phone: Mail: hay@hay.dk Nine United Denmark A/S Nytorv Copenhagen K Denmark Phone: Mail: hay@hay.dk HAY UK Nine United UK LTD 34 Queen Annes Gate London Swih 9ab United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) Mail: hay-uk@hay.dk Copyright HAY 2016 Der tages forbehold for produktændringer og trykfejl.

ABOUT A CHAIR Collection

ABOUT A CHAIR Collection LIVING HAY Living HAY was founded with the ambition to create contemporary furniture and accessories that serve modern lifestyles using quality craftsmanship and industrial production. At HAY, we work