For just over ten years, Design Talents has given emerging designers the opportunity to showcase their work at Formex. About 20 participants are selected for each edition, and all of them compete for the Best in Show award.
This year’s recipient of the Design Talents – Best in Show award:
Hermine Blixt, with her BACKBONE CHAIR.
The jury’s statement:
This product evokes a whole lot of emotions. Here, chaos coexists with creativity. The sensual meets the raw in a form that makes no apologies, but conveys both character and power. It stands firmly in its sculptural form and leaves no one unmoved. Is it a sculpture? Is it a chair? Or is it simply that the world needs a stable backbone in 2026?
– Before my chair came to life, I studied Scandinavian design classics and noticed that they all had strong character traits. Having a backbone is a symbol of courage, and it has shaped both the form and the construction of the chair. I made the first prototype in 2019 out of plywood, and my plan was to continue developing it in solid wood. Despite other design projects, I’ve never been able to let go of this chair—I suppose that’s the kind of obsession that keeps a designer going. When a cabinetmaker advised against using wood and a designer suggested aluminum, a long journey began toward the version we have today. Last summer, I went all in on manufacturing it in aluminum. Now it’s made to order in Hjo. I want to work in Sweden, preferably locally, close to the manufacturing process, and continue learning. “This award is a fantastic affirmation of all the persistent work that has led me here,” says Hermine Blixt, an industrial designer with a master’s degree in design from HDK-Valand and a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from LTH, Lund University.
The prize includes coaching, video, photography, an article, and exposure on Formex’s channels, as well as a fully equipped booth space at the next Formex.