After presenting our Spring/Summer 2023 collection at the Fritz Hansen Pavilion in Copenhagen and holding a joint pop-up event at the go-to Scandi design Store in Budapest, Home of Solinfo, surrounded by the Danish brand's furniture, our Founder and Creative Director, Eszter Áron talks to Home of Solinfo as the latest guest of their interview series.
She shares the notable connection between AERON and Scandinavian design and her appreciation for craftsmanship. She also speaks about our brand's vision when it comes to the design of our office: our core design value, balancing opposites, translates to the way we approach our physical environment as well. From vintage to modern, we curate our objects from up-and-coming young talents from flea markets to niche concept stores, and we like exciting contrasts.
Keep reading and get an exclusive sneak peek into Eszter Áron's design space.
What is the first design memory that still lives vividly in your mind?
My mom was a textile merchant and traveled a lot: not only did I inherit my love for special fabrics from her, but she also introduced me to the world of design, architecture and antique furniture. Now, as I think about what could be such a specific design memory, what really comes to my mind is her presence and her passion for aesthetics: playing with shapes and seeking balance. Many places in Budapest also remind me of her. For example in the spring, we took portrait pictures in front of an abstract modern embossment on the wall of the Marriott Hotel for a Monocle magazine interview - we used to pass by it often when I was a kid and we both loved this interesting surface. To answer your question, this wall in Budapest, for example, could be one of many such memories.
Commuting between work and home is a daily routine. Are there any similarities in style between your office and your home? Or do you consciously give them a different feel?
At home I'm surrounded by a lot of vintage objects: I inherited and I received a lot from my mother, close friends and family, while I’ve also found a lot at the Ecseri flea market. Our office is much cleaner and the emphasis is more on functionality. At the same time, at both places, it's pretty important for me that everything has its place, so that the space is organized and airy. We are also surrounded by some vintage objects in our office, and this is the result of a conscious decision: on one hand, I think it is sustainable to give new life to old objects, and on the other hand, these objects beautifully portray the passing of time. In other words, they have a patina and give a unique character to the space. And I love this contrast: simplicity and character, an airy space and an interesting, unique piece of a vintage object in one equation. For example, an old 1970’s vanilla leather sofa with two chairs from Möbelkunst is now sitting in our showroom.
Do you have favorite design objects? For example, a passion for chairs, lamps, rugs, sideboards...?
Absolutely, and roughly in that order. My approach to design has been shaped a lot by our increasing visits to the Nordic region in recent years: the brand has always done very well in the Scandinavian territory, but now, after our debut show during Copenhagen Fashion Week this August, we feel like we've come home. We belong there, not only because of the aesthetic similarity, but also because of the similarity of our sustainability aspirations. We don't want to be a classic luxury brand, by classic I mean conventional, which in the light of today's challenges might even seem a bit dusty. At AERON, we really want to approach luxury in a more new-wave, democratic way and we want to be fresh: and I've seen plenty of inspiring examples of that, design twists that I hadn't thought of before. In Copenhagen, I fell in love with glass vases blown with artistic exactitude by craftsmen, which are not classically beautiful, they are not symmetrical and immaculate, but a little bit weird, cheeky, therefore there is something very exciting about them. But another good example of this quirkiness that instantly makes a flower arrangement interesting, is Vitra’s stainless steel vase. When you put plants that are alive in a metal vase, it's a very exciting contrast. This aesthetic boldness just stays in your memory. You can’t just walk by. I think fashion and design is often about asking: why not? This makes it dynamic, this makes it attractive.
Where do you get your furniture and accessories from? Classically from design stores, or do you browse the internet, vintage marketplaces, etc.?
For me, the ideal is to have a good mix of items, coming from here and there. In addition to new design objects with exciting shapes, upcycling has a huge importance for me. In our office for example, two mid-century armchairs with wooden frames were given a new life by up-and-coming artist and set designer, Dóra Riederauer. The two chairs thus also speak of our vision: sustainable design, natural materials, innovative thinking and craftsmanship. I also spend a lot of time in Amikor Galéria, we have several design shelves from AU Workshop in our office, and I also visit Solinfo often.
Recently you presented your latest collection at the Fritz Hansen Pavilion at the Danish Design Museum during Copenhagen Fashion Week. Also at Home of Solinfo, Fritz Hansen furniture and accessories were on display as part of a collaborative pop-up event. Is there a special connection between the two brands? Can you tell us a little bit about that?
There is a lot in common between the two brands, our values and approach are the same: we believe in timeless design based on quality materials, sustainability and recycling. At the same time, it was not necessarily a rational decision, but an emotional one: we simply felt that Fritz Hansen's environment, the pavilion in the garden of the Danish Design Museum, was the most appropriate space for the brand. It helped to put the garments into context. This is very important in a fashion show: the models, the music, the location, all these moments support to position a specific garment, the current collection, the brand. There's always been a strong link between our aesthetic ethos and Danish design: the region has been a strong market for us from the beginning because we think very similarly. There is harmony between us. What I like about Fritz Hansen's products is what I like about our products: they are very generous, but at the same time decently understated. They are simple, but somehow ergonomic in design. Certain curves come together in such a unique way that it results in a way more sophisticated object than others.. And I like that a lot, because maybe that's what good design is known for, that eccentricity between the well-crafted object and the less crafted one.
As the Founder and Creative Director of an internationally known and followed brand, how do you see your love and attention to interior design/design/furniture interacting with your own design? Can a piece of clothing respond to an object with a beautiful design/color scheme, or is the formality represented by AERON important in the conscious selection of your objects?
These two areas cannot be separated in a significant way. There is always an interaction between the space, between the shapes in a space and a garment. And I think a well-chosen and well-conceived environment can make a big difference to a collection. I don't consciously follow design news, but I do follow what's happening in my surroundings and that influences me. In fact, I can get very enthusiastic about something new.
