Magazine B Issue 72 (HAY) is available now at LOREM (not Ipsum). Founded in 2002 by Rolf and Mette Hay in Copenhagen, Denmark, Hay is a home and lifestyle brand offering a wide selection of essential products from home and office furniture to accessories such as mirrors, hangers, and glassware. Firmly rooted in their design philosophy, Hay has collaborated with emerging designers and brands to expand their scope, infusing the latest technology into traditional Danish aesthetics. Hay’s design, pricing, and retail strategies have proven to be deliberate in advocating a unique Danish style suited for contemporary living.
I occasionally walk around and observe the state of our staff members’ desks. For most of us, our work desk is not only where we spend most of our time throughout the day, but it’s a personal space that’s not exactly private. Therefore, people don’t usually place precious and expensive objects or things that require a lot of careful maintenance on their work desks. But you still need something that says “me.” I think people who work in a creative industry, in particular, will agree with this to a certain extent. Using or looking at a certain object can help us momentarily clear our heads and give our brains a respite from work. The same is true for my work desk, from which I’m writing these very words. A lot of objects catch my eye: mini candles, decorative knickknacks that fit in the palm of my hand, chocolates and mints in well-designed cases, and local brand post-its and lip balms from my travels and business trips. Many of them are things I use every day yet are not irreplaceable. They offer a small morale boost in the same way a good cup of coffee does. But more importantly, they’re all objects that can be used within a communal office space without causing much distress.
That’s a bit like how I view the products of Hay, the living and lifestyle brand we’re focusing on in this issue. My first experience with Hay came in the form of a pair of gold-colored scissors displayed in a design shop somewhere in Europe. After that, I purchased various items here and there from different shops: clothes hangers in different colorful patterns, diamond-shaped steel trays, and toothbrushes where the bristles were the same color as the handle. Recently, I bought a few of their mini notebooks designed in collaboration with Design Miami and a polypropylene shopping bag. What’s interesting is that whenever I buy a Hay product, I don’t think too deeply about its price, practicality, or taste. This is probably because their designs are actually quite eye-catching without being excessive, and their products aren’t expensive enough to make you ruminate over the opportunity cost. This not only applies to their design products but their furniture as well. The inclusivity of Hay’s designs is what makes their chairs, tables, and shelves welcome in the homes of parents who have to make compromises for their kids or casual cafés and startups who have limited budgets for their interiors. The Copenhagen locals we met who use their products also talked about Hay’s inclusivity. The Hay products they own go well with other objects in their homes, whether they’re more expensive or cheaper than Hay’s. Their products don’t cower in the face of bigger names, but they also know how to lend the spotlight to the main character, making them like a friend you always want to have around.
Discover Magazine B – Issue 72 (HAY).
Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue. Between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B attempts to discover truly good brands from today’s market where countless brand-named products are overflowing. Magazine B pursues its quest for true value of a printed medium by becoming a magazine that would be worth possessing, not affected by advertisements since it receives no financial support from the brand, and maintains a unique and independent perspective which is increasingly disappearing due to overflowing information mingled among different media outlets.
Magazine B dedicates each issue to the story of one specific brand, which is one of the well-balanced brands that JOH. discovers from around the world based on four standards: beauty, practicality, price, and philosophy. And each issue is packed with B’s unique insights and in-depth analysis. Magazine B will continue to search brands that it pursues to introduce cover-to-cover, such as Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag and Japanese camping gear maker Snow Peak.
Content: Magazine B – Issue 72 (HAY)
EDITOR’S LETTER
INTO THE CITY
Six creators based in Copenhagen discuss Danish design and Hay
OPINION
Anthony Aconis, branding expert
SCENES
A beginner’s guide to drone terminology and regulations
IN HAY HOUSE
Hay’s flagship store located in Copenhagen’s largest commercial district
VALUES
Six keywords and products that represent Hay’s design philosophy
OPINION
Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, designers
COLLABORATORS
Hay’s design philosophy seen through various collaboration works
EXPLORATION
Brand orientation reflected in Hay’s market-concept kitchenware collection
OPINION
Dan Stubbergaard, founder and creative director of Cobe Architects
HABITAT
Hay products in homes and offices of Hay lovers
FUN & FUNCTIONALITY
BRAND STORY
Hay’s growth story and its proposition of new Danish design
MANUFACTURING
The ideal balance of quality and price achieved through Hay’s manufacturing process
HEADQUARTERS
Hay’s Copenhagen office in charge of the brand’s creative side
EXPANSION
Hay’s partnership with Herman Miller signals full-scale expansion into North America
LEGENDS
Hay’s design foundation laid by prominent designers of 20th century Denmark
INTERVIEW
Rolf & Mette Hay, cofounders of Hay
FIGURES
Denmark’s furniture market and Hay’s growth seen through numbers
REFERENCES
Details
240 x 170 mm
