Swedish furniture manufacturer Swedese is best known for its Scandinavian midcentury modern furniture designed by Yngve Ekström. The brand’s vintage designs—characterized by simplicity, minimalism, and functionality— are highly sought after by collectors today. Standout Swedese designs include the Lamino Chair (1956) and Circle Chair (1958) by Yngve Ekström.
Brothers Yngve (1913-1988) and Jerker Ekström (1911-2006) founded ESE Furniture together with Sven Bertil Sjöqvist in 1945. The company first gained recognition with the highly functional and efficiently designed Thema Chair (1952), the qualities of which would later characterize the company’s comprehensive production range. Renamed Swedese Möbler AB after Sjöqvist left fifteen years later, the company was eventually sold in 1974 but remained under Yngve Ekström’s supervision until his passing in 1988.
After 1988, Alf Johansson took over management of Swedese. His visionary thinking included the addition of comfortable, upholstered seating to the existing range of furniture. With headquarters located in Vaggeryd in Småland, Sweden, and another factory located in the small village of Äng, the company is today led by Ana Johannsen.
