modebranchen.NU NU International Januar 2020 Interior | Page 19

KODANSKA
FROM ENTREPRENEUR AREA TO
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Kodanska has been around since 2016, and in January
2018 Marie Graff participated in the entrepreneur
area at Formland, “Creators Community”. Kodanska’s
artisanal products quickly drew lots of interest.
- Since all my products are handmade and the
glassware hand-blown, no two items are 100 percent
alike. There are little differences, and every product
is unique. This is where my artisanal craft business
sets itself apart from suppliers that mass produce their pro-
ducts. My products are typically sold in lifestyle stores, in mu-
seum gift shops, and in specialized ceramics and glassware
stores, says Marie Graff.
So far, Kodanska’s products are sold in Denmark, Norway,
Sweden, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, as well as in France,
Germany, and Finland. The international interest in Kodanska
products is significant, so the export will develop over the
coming years.
Experience Kodanska at stand F5156 at Formland.
A
popular, and during the spring foto shoot I collaborated with the
owner of Puss Puss Cocktail Bar in Copenhagen, Ted Dako. He
made some beautiful cocktails for my glasses that can inspire
people with recipes and ideas. We’ve had postcards made with
the recipes, and if put together with our glasses and a basket of
ingredients they make for the perfect gift. I will also be launching
new glasses that can be used for drinks and cocktails, says
Marie Graff.
The selection of products has grown quite large, but common to
them all is a creative, personal, and handmade touch.
In 2019, for instance, Kodanska launched a series of unique wall
reliefs where Marie Graff experimented with melting pieces of
crushed glass into a larger piece of glass, resulting in a complet-
ely unique look and structure.
A new glass vase that might very well become another Kodan-
ska classic will also be launched at the upcoming trade shows,
and it will be available in several colours.
In terms of creative work and craft, the process behind it all hap-
pens in close collaboration between Marie Graff and a perma-
nent team of glass-blowers in the Czech Republic, where Marie
and her family previously lived.
- The vases are the newest products, and they will be launched at
Formland. I will be naming the line “Flow”, inspired by the saying
“go with the flow”. And that is also the mindset I employ during
development. I never focus on the final product; I always let my-
self be inspired by the direction the process takes me in. Initially,
the vase was just intended as a prototype, but it ended up being
so beautiful that it turned into a finished product. When I expe-
riment with new things, I do so in close collaboration with my
glass-blowers. I need their technical expertise to bring my ideas
to life. I have discovered how important it is to be surrounded by
a great team during all stages of development. And that allows
me to evolve as a person and to develop the business as well.