Cecilia Tivar created six decades of table settings

In 2020, Formex celebrates 60 years as the most important and influential meeting place in the Nordic region for design and interior design. During the January fair, stylist Cecilia Tivar created a unique exhibition of porcelain showing the typical style of each decade.

1960s Space and Woodstock
During the prosperous 1960s, the large cohorts of children from the war years become an economic powerhouse, eager to consume. Trends are being driven less by Paris and more by the streets of London. A colorful and brightly patterned style is emerging on Carnaby Street, with the Beatles and Rolling Stones coming from England. Technological advances seem limitless. Russia and the US play first man on the moon and designers are inspired by space. The 60s are also the era of the hippie, revolutionizing the way we look at drugs and sex. The flower children are engaged by peace and environmental issues, but also trigger the debate on gender equality. By growing their hair and wearing the same flared jeans, Jesus sandals, shoulder bags and necklaces, the flower power generation is erasing old gender roles. In 1969, Peace, love and understanding is manifested with Woodstock.

1970s Abba and prog
During the 70s, the unrestricted flow of progress and increase in prosperity that characterized the 60s slows down. Unemployment, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, the environmental debate and the energy crisis all combine to make many people more engaged than ever, while others are resigned to the situation. Trends are born on the street and anything goes.

The combination of lifestyle and music is not new, but the 70s saw the birth of several youth cultures that would echo and the punks became a new tourist attraction in London. ABBA’s victory in Brighton in 1974 with the help of satin clothes and platform shoes. The blue pant begins the decade as a leisure wear and ends as a lifestyle and prog becomes fashion and fashion becomes prog. Palestinian scarves, T-shirts with messages, beaked boots and Mah Jong clothing signal political affiliation for some, while others see it as just another fashion.

The 1980s Yuppie world and gym fitness
Individualism takes new forms, now everyone creates their own fashion. Madonna and Lena Philipsson are trendsetters. In her spare time, she enjoys work-outs and bodybuilding, and a fit body is becoming fashionable, with Jennifer Beals of Flashdance becoming a style icon. The 80’s also saw the rise of the Porsche, Rolex and five-kilogram mobile phone, and power-dressing became a concept for career women. The explosion of color that permeates the period fades by the end of the decade, and the interest in Japan and Japanese design even inspires the Nobel Prize song.

1990s Stretched minimalism
At the beginning of the 90s, the retail sector is still suffering from the economic downturn of the 80s. Colorless eco-fashion is predicted to have a bright future, but is quickly failing. As a sign of the bad times, grunge evolves from anti-style to lifestyle in the early 90s. Nirvana’s Curt Cobain and his wife Courtney Love lead the way, mixing plaid flannel shirts and ripped jeans with floral dresses.

By the mid-90s, minimalism has taken hold and is also affecting the color scheme. Black is the new black every season. The title of Fashion Icon of the Decade is shared by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Jennifer Aniston, whose understated style reflects stylish minimalism. As a counterpoint, Baywatch-Pamela and Victoria Silvstedt show that too much is never enough when it comes to breasts and hydrogen peroxide. Along with soap operas, branded bags and flip-flops, the bimbo follows us into the new millennium.

21st century maximalism and vintage
There was a lot of anxiety on New Year’s Eve 1999. Everything from computers to refrigerators was expected to have a technological meltdown at the turn of the millennium, but the champagne is flowing like never before. Everyday life is filled with reality shows and headaches over which mobile phone operator or independent school to choose. Everything and everyone is available 24/7 and the flow of information is unlimited through cable TV, the internet and free newspapers.

In terms of style, anti-minimalism prevails and the brand becomes more important than the product. The most chic is Carrie in Sex and the City. Gucci, Versace and Louis Vuitton get top style points and limited edition designers become collectors’ items. Design and home furnishings are as important a lifestyle marker as IT products. And furnishings are bought both at Myrorna and at the fine furniture store.

2010s Sustainability and climate anxiety
Craftsmanship is back in the spotlight and we want to know more about the objects we choose to place in our homes. By whom and how it has been produced becomes more important. In another direction, colabs are becoming common and popular chains like H&M and IKEA are choosing to collaborate with exclusive designers. As well as offering smaller collections available at more reasonable prices.

2020s The table setting of the future
Today we can only predict how the table setting of the 2020s will be described in retrospect. What we can see is that there is still a strong focus on sustainability and craftsmanship.