100 Scandinavian female designers

Scandinavia has long been a pioneer in the field of design, particularly in furniture and product design, as well as architecture. This northern region has produced some of the most well-known designers, such as Arne Jacobsen, Alvar Aalto, Verner Panton, and Hans J. Wegner, who are renowned for their minimalist styles and use of natural materials.

Although the work of these designers is recognized globally, the role of female designers is often overlooked. In fact, many talented and influential female designers from Scandinavia have made groundbreaking contributions that often go unrecognized. That’s why it’s important to highlight the work of female designers as well. Let’s begin with an overview of over 100 women who have influenced design from the north.

Scandinavian female designers

1. Armi Ratia (1912-1979) – Founder of the Finnish brand Marimekko, known for its colorful patterns and textiles.
2. Aino Aalto (1894-1949) – Architect and designer, known for her work with her husband Alvar Aalto on numerous Scandinavian design projects.
3. Ann Wåhlström (*1961) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her work with the brand Höganäs Keramik and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
4. Anna Kraitz (*1977) – Swedish ceramic and furniture designer, known for her minimalist and functional designs.
5. Anne Boysen (*1980) – Danish designer known for her minimalist and functional furniture and product designs. She works with various well-known Scandinavian manufacturers such as Louis Poulsen, Bent Hansen and Applicata.
6. Annika Rimala (1936-2014) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work at Marimekko and her colorful and abstract patterns.
7. Anu Penttinen (*1974) – Finnish glass designer, known for her colorful glass objects and her work with the brand iittala.
8. Agnes Fries (*1979) – Swedish designer known for her work with the brand Ferm Living and her minimalist and Scandinavian textile and home accessory designs.
9. Åsa Pärson (*1960) – Swedish designer known for her work with the brand Svenskt Tenn and her graphic and colorful textile patterns.
10. Bjørg Thorhallsdottir (*1942) – Icelandic textile designer, known for her work with wool and her use of traditional Icelandic knitting patterns.
11. Bodil Kjær (*1932) – Danish architect and furniture designer, known for her work with Scandinavian furniture manufacturers such as Carl Hansen & Søn and Fredericia Furniture.
12. Birgitta Hahn (1932-2016) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her work with the brand Rörstrand and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
13. Brita Sweden (*1957) – Swedish carpet and textile designer, known for her colorful and geometric patterns and her work with Brita Sweden Rugs.
14. Cathrine Kullberg (*1951) – Norwegian ceramic and glass designer, known for her minimalist and sculptural works.
15. Cecilie Manz (*1972) – Danish furniture designer, known for her minimalist and functional designs, including the „Caravaggio“ lighting series.
16. Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) – French designer who had a significant influence on Scandinavian design, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Cassina and her functional and minimalist furniture designs.
17. Camilla Schram (*1988) Danish designer and CEO of Humdakin – a Danish company specializing in natural cleaning products and sustainable household products.
18. Carin Wästberg (*1948) – Swedish textile designer and artist, known for her abstract and colorful patterns and her work with the brand Svenskt Tenn.
19. Christina Liljenberg Halstrøm (*1977) – Danish furniture and product designer, known for her minimalist and organic designs and her work with brands such as Skagerak and Hay.
20. Christina Strand (*1971) – Danish industrial designer who co-founded the design studio Strand+Hvass with her partner Niels Hvass, and worked for Bang & Olufsen, Georg Jensen, IKEA and many others.
21. Dagny Holm (1912-1998) – Norwegian textile designer, known for her work with Scandinavian textile manufacturers and her abstract and graphic patterns.
22. Dorrit Elisa Arnholdt-Larsen (1912-1979) – Danish textile designer, known for her work with Kvadrat and her colorful and experimental patterns.
23. Dorthe Skappel (*1962) – Norwegian knitwear designer and TV personality, known for her popular knitting series „Dorthe“ and her collaboration with the brand Du Store Alpakka.
24. Dorte Agergaard (*1954) – Danish ceramic artist, known for her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
25. Eeva Lithovius (1920-1978) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the brand Lapuan Kankurit and her organic and sculptural textiles.
26. Elinor McGuire (1916-2008) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
27. Elna Källman (1920-2001) – Swedish textile designer, known for her work with Gudrun Sjödén and her colorful and floral patterns.
28. Elna Magnussen (1898-1989) – Danish textile designer, known for her work with Skandinavisk Designhus and her graphic and geometric patterns.
29. Elna Mygdal (1920-2005) – Danish furniture designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers Fritz Hansen and Søren Willadsen, particularly for her iconic chairs and sofas.
30. Emma Olbers (*1961) – Swedish textile designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Almedahls and her colorful and abstract patterns.
31. Estrid Ericson (1894-1981) – Swedish designer and co-founder of the Swedish brand Svenskt Tenn, known for her use of exotic motifs and colors in her designs.
32. Eva Zeisel (1906-2011) – Hungarian ceramic artist and designer, known for her organic and soft ceramic forms and her work with Scandinavian manufacturers such as Arabia and Gustavsberg.
33. Elisabeth Dunker (*1977) – Swedish textile designer and illustrator, known for her work with the brand Fine Little Day and her natural and poetic patterns.
34. Greta Grossman (1906-1999) – Swedish architect and designer, known for her work with Scandinavian furniture manufacturers and her iconic lamp designs.
35. Grethe Meyer (1918-2008) – Danish designer, known for her work with the brand Royal Copenhagen and her minimalist and functional porcelain dish designs.
36. Gunila Axén (*1944) – Swedish ceramic and textile designer, known for her work with the brand Rörstrand and her abstract and geometric patterns.
37. Gunvor Olin-Gronqvist (1928-2016) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the brand Tampella and her floral and organic patterns.
38. Gertrud Vasegaard (1913-2007) – Danish ceramic artist, known for her minimalist and functional ceramic objects.
39. Grete Jalk (1920-2006) – Danish furniture designer, known for her organic and sculptural furniture designs.
40. Gudrun Sjödén (*1941) – Swedish textile designer and entrepreneur, known for her work with the brand Gudrun Sjödén and her colorful and floral patterns.
41. Hanne Vedel (1927-2017) – Danish ceramic and textile designer, known for her work with the brand Kähler and her minimalist and sculptural designs.
42. Hanna Werning (*1973) – Swedish textile designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Boråstapeter and her colorful and playful patterns.
43. Helene Schjerfbeck (1862-1946) – Finnish painter and graphic artist, known for her modern and expressive portraits as well as her illustrations for the brand Arabia.
44. Hanna-Kaisa Korolainen (*1973) – Finnish ceramic artist and designer, known for her work with the brand Arabia and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
45. Hansine Pedersen-Krag (1868-1942) – Danish textile designer, known for her work with the Johanne Rasmussen brand and her floral and romantic patterns.
46. Helle Mardahl (*1976) – Danish glass and ceramic designer, known for her organic and sculptural glass and ceramic objects as well as her collaboration with the Skagerak brand.
47. Hanna Konola (*1984) – Finnish textile and graphic designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Marimekko and her playful and graphic patterns.
48. Helene Billgren (*1964) – Swedish artist and designer, known for her sculptural and colorful designs in various media such as ceramics, textiles, and furniture.
49. Hella Jongerius (*1963) – Dutch designer working in Berlin and Rotterdam, known for her experimental and colorful designs, particularly in the textile and ceramic fields.
50. Hilde Mork (*1955) – Norwegian textile artist and designer, known for her experimental and organic textiles and her collaboration with Scandinavian textile manufacturers.
51. Hilkka-Liisa Ahola (*1949) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the Marimekko brand and her graphic and abstract patterns.
52. Ilse Crawford (1962-) – British designer who worked for Scandinavian brands such as Muuto and Georg Jensen, known for her warm and inviting interior designs.
53. Inger Persson (1942-) – Swedish glass designer, known for her work with the Orrefors brand and her sculptural and organic glass objects.
54. Ingrid Dessau (1933-) – Danish textile designer, known for her work with the Georg Jensen Damask brand and her minimalist and graphic textile patterns.
55. Ingrid Vang Nyman (1916-1959) – Norwegian illustrator, known for her collaboration with Astrid Lindgren and her illustrations for children’s books such as Pippi Longstocking.
56. Inga Sempé (*1968) – French designer, known for her work with Scandinavian furniture manufacturers such as Ligne Roset and Hay and her minimalist and playful designs.
57. Irmeli Jung (1946 – 2021) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the Finlayson brand and her colorful and graphic patterns.
58. Inger Johanne Rasmussen (1939-) – Norwegian textile artist and designer, known for her work with the Røros Tweed brand and her modern interpretations of traditional Norwegian textile patterns.
59. Ingrid Bergman (1930-2008) – Swedish textile artist and designer, known for her work with the Klässbols and Växbo Lin brands and her timeless and elegant textile patterns.
60. Ingrid Rasmussen (1936-) – Danish ceramic designer, known for her work with the Royal Copenhagen brand and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
61. Jane Reumert (*1956) – Danish ceramic designer, known for her work with Scandinavian ceramic manufacturers and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
62. Jenni Tuominen (*1976) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Lapuan Kankurit and her abstract and graphic patterns.
63. Johanna Gullichsen (*1967) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with her own brand, Johanna Gullichsen Textiles, and her graphic and geometric textile patterns.
64. Kaisa Kyläkoski (*1977) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Marimekko and her colorful and abstract patterns.
65. Karin Björquist (*1931) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her work with the Gustavsberg brand and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
66. Karin Larsson (1859 – 1928) – Swedish textile designer and wife of the famous Swedish painter Carl Larsson, known for her work with the Svenskt Tenn brand and her use of natural materials and handmade techniques.
67. Katarina Brieditis (*1965) – Swedish textile artist and designer, known for her work with the IKEA brand and her abstract and colorful patterns.
68. Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist (1925 – 1997) – Swedish furniture designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Nordiska Kompaniet and her sculptural and functional chair designs.
69. Kirsti Ilvessalo (1934 – 2013) – Finnish textile artist and designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Marimekko and her colorful and graphic patterns.
70. Kristina Isola (1946-2018) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the Marimekko brand and her iconic flower and fruit patterns.
71. Kajsa Cramer (1916-2014) – Swedish textile designer, known for her work with the Märta Måås-Fjetterström brand and her modern interpretations of traditional Swedish textile patterns.
72. Kajsa Wikman (*1963) – Finnish jewelry designer, known for her work with her own brand, Kajsa Wikman Jewelry, and her sculptural and organic jewelry pieces.
73. Kari Virtanen (1915-1984) – Finnish furniture designer, known for his work with furniture manufacturers such as Asko and his functional and minimalist chair designs.
74. Kristina Riska (*1951) – Finnish ceramic designer, known for her abstract and sculptural ceramic objects and her collaboration with the Arabia Finland brand.
75. Lea Petäjä (*1945) – Finnish textile artist and designer, known for her work with textile manufacturers such as Finlayson and her abstract and colorful patterns.
76. Lena Larsson (1920-2000) – Swedish furniture designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Källemo and her minimalist and functional chair designs.
77. Lilli Ann and Maria Louise Bülow (1967-) – Danish furniture designers, known for their work with their own brand Bülow Furniture and their sculptural and organic furniture designs. Linda Svedal Walsøe – Norwegian designer and Creative Director of Wik & Walsøe. She designs textiles and tableware.
78. Lillian Snelling (1879-1972) – British illustrator and botanist who worked for the Swedish brand Rörstrand and was known for her botanical illustrations and patterns.
79. Lisbet Friis (1919-2011) – Danish textile designer, known for her work with the Georg Jensen Damask brand and her minimalist and sculptural textile patterns.
80. Lena Bergström (*1961) – Swedish glass and textile designer, known for her work with glass and textile manufacturers such as Orrefors and Design House Stockholm and her abstract and organic designs.
81. Lisa Larson (*1931) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her work with the Gustavsberg brand and her sculptural and playful ceramic animal figures.
82. Louise Campbell (*1970) – Danish furniture designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Hay and her innovative and sculptural designs.
83. Margareta Hennix (1921-2004) – Swedish glass designer, known for her work with the Orrefors brand and her sculptural and organic glass objects.
84. Maria Kipp (1900-1981) – US-American ceramic designer who worked in Denmark in the 1950s, known for her organic and sculptural ceramic designs.
85. Marianna Uutinen (*1976) – Finnish glass designer, known for her work with the Iittala brand and her colorful and sculptural glass objects.
86. Mia Blanche (*1966) – Swedish designer, known for her work with brands such as Kasthall and Offecct as well as her innovative and functional furniture and textile designs.
87. Maija Isola (1927-2001) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the Marimekko brand and her iconic fabric patterns such as the Unikko pattern.
88. Maija Louekari (*1982) – Finnish textile designer, known for her work with the Marimekko brand and her colorful and graphic patterns.
89. Maria Dahlgren (*1964) – Swedish textile designer, known for her work with the IKEA brand and her abstract and geometric patterns.
90. Maria Kariis (*1963) – Swedish ceramic designer, known for her work with the Höganäs Keramik brand and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
91. Marianne Westman (1928-2017) – Swedish ceramic and textile designer, known for her work with the Rörstrand brand and her colorful and graphic patterns.
92. Mette Schelde (*1981) – Danish designer, known for her work with lighting manufacturers such as Karakter and Le Klint and her organic and sculptural lamp designs.
93. Mia Lagerman (*1976) – Swedish architect and designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as IKEA and her innovative and functional furniture designs.
94. Monica Förster (*1965) – Swedish designer, known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Swedese and Poltrona Frau and her innovative and sculptural furniture and lighting designs.
95. Nanna Ditzel (1923-2005) was a Danish designer known for her innovative furniture and textile designs. She worked with renowned furniture manufacturers such as Fritz Hansen and Fredericia and received numerous awards for her work.
96. Nina Koppel (*1946) – Danish jewelry designer known for her work with the brand Georg Jensen and her organic and sculptural jewelry pieces.
97. Olga Engberg (*1972) – Swedish furniture designer known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Gärsnäs and her innovative and functional furniture designs.
98. Olga Goff (*1978) – Norwegian furniture designer known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Vestre and her environmentally friendly and sustainable furniture designs.
99. Paula Jaakkola (*1979) – Finnish glass designer known for her work with glass manufacturers such as Iittala and her organic and sculptural glass objects.
100. Pernille Vea (*1962) – Danish designer known for her work with lighting manufacturers such as Louis Poulsen and her functional and minimalist lamp designs.
101. Pil Bredahl (*1962) – Danish designer known for her work with kitchen manufacturers such as Eva Solo and her innovative and functional kitchen utensil designs.
102. Pia Wallén (*1957) – Swedish textile designer known for her work with the brand Pia Wallén and her minimalist and sculptural felt and wool textiles.
103. Rigmor Andersen (1903-1995) – Danish textile designer and weaver. She designed textiles for well-known Danish manufacturers such as Georg Jensen Damask and Kvadrat.
104. Rikke Frost (*1973) – Danish designer known for her minimalist and functional designs. She has worked for various well-known brands, such as Carl Hansen & Søn.
105. Sigrid Rømme (*1965) – Norwegian ceramic designer known for her work with the brand Magnor Glassverk and her organic and sculptural ceramic objects.
106. Sofie Refer (*1974) – Danish designer known for her work with lighting manufacturers such as &Tradition and her minimalist and sculptural lamp designs.
107. Stine Gam (*1975) – Danish designer known for her work with furniture manufacturers such as Fredericia and her sculptural and functional furniture designs.
108. Stine Weigelt (*1978) – Danish designer, known for her furniture, such as the J178 chair, spindle chair, coffee table, bar stool, and bar table for FDB Møbler.
109. Susanne Grønlund (*1960) – Danish designer known for her work with the brand Rosendahl and her minimalist and functional kitchen and household ware designs.
110. Susanne Nielsen (1966) – Designer of the Danish studio Ebb & Flow, her lamps have a warm style and are everyday objects that warm up spaces.
111. Tove Adman ( 1939) – Swedish textile designer known for her work with the brand Almedahls and her graphic and colorful fabric patterns.
112. Tove Kindt-Larsen (1916-1996) – Danish designer. Together with her husband, she designed furniture and interiors for Fritz Hansen and Søren Willadsen.
113. Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe (1927-2004) – Swedish jewelry designer known for her work with the brand Georg Jensen and her organic and sculptural jewelry pieces.
114. Ylva Källström-Eklund (*1960) – Swedish designer known for her work with the brand Design House Stockholm and her innovative and functional furniture designs.