Midsummer

Midsommar is Sweden’s second-most important time of year after Christmas, and it is celebrated with traditions that date back to the Middle Ages. Legend has it that this solstice night has magical qualities, and the ancient custom of unmarried women picking seven types of wildflowers and placing them under their pillows is still practised today. It is said that the next night, their future husband will appear to them in a dream. Inspired by this custom, the designer trio Claesson Koivisto Rune created the Midsummer mini vase series in cooperation with the traditional glassmaker Orrefors. The series includes seven carefully crafted individual vases, one for each of the flowers. Although all of the vases are roughly almost the same height, the designers wanted to give each one a unique and distinctive character, while at the same time ensuring that they harmonise in a set. The greatest challenge, according to the designers, was to select the perfect shapes from a large number of possible variants. However, they believe they made the right choices, and the jury agreed: “Whether used individually or arranged as an ensemble, the Midsummer mini vases with their different shapes and delicate colouring make a distinctive and stylish statement. The superb quality of the glass and the precision craftsmanship are just as enchanting as the well-balanced proportions of each individual vase. And, of course, the story behind the product is absolutely charming.” Narrow necked, double bellied, cylindrical or round – the distinctive silhouettes lend the vases an expressive quality that is even more captivating when they are filled with flowers. With their Nordic beauty, these vases transcend their functional purpose. And even if flowers under the pillow don’t make a future husband appear in a dream, the blossoms arranged in the Midsummer vases are a beautiful consolation.