The Fiskars Design Team (led by Petteri Masalin) are being awarded the “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year” honorary title, which cannot be applied for, for its consistent design performance.
The award recognises the brand’s ‘groundbreaking innovations, a natural approach, unparalleled functionality, ergonomics and the right balance between complexity and simplicity,’ including its knives, scissors and cookware.
Fiskars’ product design is heavily influenced by Nordic nature and the related quality of life as well as by sustainability. The Red Dot jury also acknowledged the Finnish brand’s continued innovation and large following for products that may initially appear ‘rather inconspicuous ’but are ‘hugely enriching for our everyday lives’.
“It was 30 years ago that Fiskars won its first distinction in the Red Dot Award: Product Design,” reflects Red Dot ceo Peter Zec. “Ever since, the company’s products have been winning over not just our jury but also myself. The design team’s creations are characterised by their ergonomic and user-friendly nature.”
Peter adds: “The technological innovations and groundbreaking combinations of materials together with the understated matter-of-factness make these products really quite special. I want to congratulate the title winners very sincerely on this extraordinary design achievement.”
Petteri Masalin, creative design lead at Fiskars comments: “Our team is extremely proud to receive this title of honour which celebrates our tradition of nurturing good design. Ever since Fiskars was founded, we have stayed true to our strong heritage and DNA while being bold and innovative. To us, it’s always about staying curious about the world while being loyal to our roots.”
Fiskars was established in 1649 as an ironworks in a small Finnish village of the same name. In 1967, the company launched the first pair of universal scissors on the market. The combination of plastic and metal created light, precision scissors with an ergonomic plastic handle in bright orange. The product was designed by Olof Bäckström and quickly became a hallmark of the Fiskars brand. The classic scissors were recognised with the Icon Award at The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2016.
Besides its ranges of scissors, Fiskars’ current portfolio includes frying pans, kitchen knives, axes, gardening tools and watering systems.
Petteri comments on the design process: “It’s really difficult to design this simplicity, because on the one hand you have to understand what you are designing and on the other hand you have to know when to stop, so that the new product isn’t overloaded with details.”
The laureates of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2020 will becelebrated through Red Dot’s social media channels during the Red Dot Design Week from June 22 to 26 2020. On the second day, 23 June 23, the spotlight will be on Fiskars and the outstanding performance of its design team, with articles and entertaining expert discussions.
In the same week, a special exhibition designed by Fiskars will open in the Red Dot Design Museum Essen. Germany. Visitors to the museum can discover the work of the design team since the 1950s from June 23. The exhibition will be on show alongside the presentations ‘Milestones in Contemporary Design 2020” and “Design on Stage 2020”, which show all of this year’s winning products.
Top: The iconic scissors by Fiskars.
