Gubi was established in 1967 by spouses Gubi and Lisbeth Olsen in Denmark. Initially focusing on furniture design and textile retailing, sons Sebastian and Jacob, eager to make a name for themselves in the market, soon introduced fashion to the family business with a pioneering concept store.
The store would be the first in Denmark to import brands such as Prada and Helmut Lang. Curiosity and the courage to take chances soon become Gubi’s hallmark. In their work, they drew inspiration from the furniture design of the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s while working with innovative, modern designers.
Design with curiosity and a sparkle
Through collaborations with designers such as Mathieu Matégot, Jacques Adnet, GamFratesi and Louis Weisdorf, Gubi succeeded in linking esthetically pleasing and sometimes provocative design practices to its guiding principles: classic design, functionality and quality. Gubi later made a name for itself with its acclaimed launches such as Bestilite, a range of Bauhaus-inspired lamps originally designed in 1930 by the British designer Robert Dudley Best. In the late 1980s, Gubi launched 13 design classics that included Bestilite. The collection quickly became a success and is sold all over the world.
A clear example of Gubi’s innovative design approach is the Gubi Chair, part of the Gubi line created in collaboration with Komplot Design in 2003. The Gubi Chair was the first chair to use molded three-dimensional veneer, using innovative technology. It has received numerous awards and is now a permanent part of the Museum of Modern Art collection.
A further example is collaboration with GamFratesi, the award-winning Danish–Italian design duo who are renowned around the world for their iconic, informal style. Today, family-owned Gubi is run by sons Jacob and Sebastian with a continued passion for creating new things and reviving design icons of the past.
