OH Materials are also subject to fashions, and chrome wasn’t very popular for
quite some time. In addition, many people today still appreciate the recog-
nisability of classics, but at the same time they want something special
that not everyone has. For example, matt black frames. We worked closely
with the global licensor, Aram Designs Ltd, to realise this, and it was only
possible because, in the 1920s, Eileen Gray herself had experimented with
a version of the table that had a black metal top instead of a glass top and
a black frame. It was only when a photo of it appeared on the cover of the
catalogue for the 2013 Eileen Gray retrospective at the Centre Pompidou
that we were allowed to get started. After seventeen prototypes we got the
go-ahead for the right shade of black. In other words: it was very difficult,
but it was definitely worth it.
GT
Do you think that, as the proprietor, you can act more freely in your own
company than a managing director could?
OH Definitely. I can invest more long-term in new products and know-how, or
I can include designs in the collection whereby I know straight away that
they won’t be a great success. I can organise exhibitions and publish books.
As the owner, I can be much more of a human being, if you like. Our port-
folio also reflects my life. I see that as a privilege and, at the same time, it
also has a greater emotional effect.
GT
Is that why you work primarily with other owner-managed companies?
OH Yes, it is. Also, most of our manufacturers come from this region, I know
them all personally. They are craft specialists who have preserved their
traditional skills and expertise. Many of these companies have been around
for several generations; they are rooted in their region and feel responsible
for the people and the landscape. Sustainability is part of their DNA, not a
marketing issue. The dust jacket for this catalogue, for example, comes
from Gmund Papier, a paper manufactory on Lake Tegernsee, a region where
I spent my youth, and where I still like to go at weekends and to which
our family is very much attached. Gmund Papier has been in existence for
almost 200 years and has always kept up with the times: they save water,
raw materials and energy; they produce their own electricity from hydro-
power and they recycle manufacturing waste back into the production cycle.
The different types of paper are certified, look high class and feel good to
the touch. It’s all possible. The world is far too beautiful not to preserve it
for the next generation.
GT
How does a positive person like you protect himself from everyday
frustration?
OH A coach once explained to me that the first twenty minutes in the morning
determine how you’ll feel throughout the day. This has confirmed my ritual:
after waking up, I stay in bed for a short while, draw back the curtains and
enjoy the view of the garden. E-mails don’t get read until after breakfast.
And, most importantly: I listen to Bayern 1! That was my grandparents’ radio
station. Nowadays, they play those feel-good catchy tunes to sing along
to – “Sing Halleluhja!”, “I got the power”, or, really old (he sings, and in key):
“When I wake up, / in the morning light / I pull on my jeans / and
I feel alright ...”. I love it.
The end.
P 67
