Kvadrat's Hallingdal 65 — a woven essence in textiles history

If you are as obsessed with fabrics, as I am, you can plan your next escape from the daily grind by quickly searching on maps for the nearest Kvadrat showroom. As a pioneer of textile design, Kvadrat has remained at the forefront of the industry in manufacturing a generous variety of woven and knitted textiles with timeless appeal. If I'd be your chosen guide through their universe of the last 60+ years, my first stop would be at the Hallingdal 65 fabric. Designed by Nanna Ditzel, the Royal Academy Copenhagen graduate in the class of Prof. Kaare Klint — known as the father of the modern Danish furniture design — this fabric is an updated version of the first ever Kvadrat textile from 1965.

I want to have ideas about design that create an image of life as I see it.
Nanna Ditzel

Ditzel began her career in the 50s — a time when women were not considered a man’s equal. She had earned the title The First Lady of Danish Design by believing that everything is possible through innovation and experimentation. How dedicated and diligent Nanna was, is mirrored in her words describing her work process:

“Creativity is demanding. Getting new and worthwhile ideas is demanding. Don’t do things by rote or do things that have been done. Be critical of the ideas you carry out. There are many occasions called ‘Try Again’. If you have a goal you know when you haven’t reached it. I want to have ideas about design that create an image of life as I see it. A life as wonderful as possible, as exciting as possible and that is interesting, eventful and innovative. Inspiration is the result of many thoughts and many experiences in the company of other people or alone in nature. I look at life, people, shapes, colours, the weather and everything around me. Ideas don’t come out of thin air. You can’t ask for them. They are hard work. Out of one’s exertions, analyses and thoughts something surprising often comes. Something one hadn’t expected.”

I find this endlessly inspiring, and I think it can inspire many.

Match XL sofa in Hallingdal 65, color 116

Ditzel’s work often made use of colour and organic forms and is widely celebrated for its timeless functionality — this quality is never more apparent than in her classic textile design Hallingdal 65. Available in 58 colours, Ditzel’s creation is treasured on sitting elements in public and private interiors all around the world in neutral and strong, primary colours, as well as bold turquoise and pink — her favourites. Almost six decades after its debut, Hallingdal is still one of Kvadrat’s bestsellers. The composition of 70% wool and 30% viscose is a perfect ratio of materials who complement each other in durability and overall performance.

In 2001, four years before she passed away, Nanna Ditzel received the Danish Design Centre’s Classic Prize for Hallingdal — which has become the archetype of woolen textiles.

Inspired by Ditzel’s eternal spirit for exploration, Kvadrat has launched a new interpretation of their first born — called Sisu. Sisu has been created by the multidisciplinary artist Danh Vo, as a scaled statement of Nanna’s design that interbreeds a playful connection between a contemporary design and the timeless Danish aesthetic. It comes in 16 colour ways — complementing the Hallingdal’s colours — waved in a thicker woolen yarns that create a vibrant checked pattern which graces spaces with warmth and elegance.