Sweden's design scene is shining even as the country's economy struggles, with a trend for innovative, playful pieces marking its most important moment in a generation, Dezeen heard ahead of Stockholm Design Week.Swedish design has long been associated with minimalism or IKEA, whose affordable, practical furniture is now synonymous with the country around the world. But in recent years, Sweden's design scene has become increasingly varied.With a difficult economic environment contributing to an uptick in innovative design, designers are blending traditional craft with new technology and focusing on sustainability."The perception has evolved""People outside Sweden often struggle to distinguish Swedish design from the broader concept of 'Scandinavian design'," Note Design Studio design manager Cristiano Pigazzini said."For many, Swedish design remains synonymous with IKEA. However, for those with a deeper interest or knowledge of design, the perception has evolved. Swedish design is increasingly seen as moving from traditional, production-optimised work to something more playful, artistic, and highly sustainable."In the words of Stockholm Furniture Fair and Stockholm Design Week director Daniel Heckscher, emerging Swedish designers have helped build a scene that is "bold, explorative, conscious and f***ing amazing".Above: Matsson Marnell recently designed a wooden table with unconventional legs. Photo by Andy Liffner. Top: Simon Skinner's Buk lamps are on show in Stockholm. Photo by Gustav Almestl"The scene, as it should be, is way ahead of the audience and the industry in general," he told Dezeen. "It's created by emerging designers, most of them with no means other than an innovative creative mind and a skillset adapted to a world in chaos."A host of newer brands are also challenging the traditional notion of Swedish design, according to Hanna Nova Beatrice, The New Era magazine founder and chief brand officer of retailer NO GA Group."Brands like Teenage Engineering, Hem, Niko June, Gustaf Westman and Massproductions have all played a big part in paving the way for a Swedish design language that is very far removed from the idea of Scandinavian minimalism promoted by mainly Danish brands," she said.Swedish design having a "more interesting moment" than in the '90sThe result, according to Marcus Engman, creative director at IKEA franchisee Ingka Group, is that Sweden is currently experiencing its most important design movement in decades."We had a big Swedish design moment back in the 1990s, but I would argue that we have a far more interesting and diverse moment of design right now," he said. "Whether or not it is a Swedish moment, I don't think it matters.""My line of thinking has always been that you can never be too supportive when it comes to emerging talent," Engman added. "I think it is an obligation to us all in the creative industries to make it possible for a more diverse pool of talent that better represent the people our designs should serve."Read: Ten unmissable exhibitions and installations at Stockholm Design Week 2025Among the most interesting design studios in Sweden right now is Malm-based Lab La Bla, which works with innovative materials such as mining dust and ground-up wine corks. Its founders argue that Swedish designers often turn to innovation to create more sustainable designs."Swedish design seamlessly blends tradition and technology, using innovation as a tool to address ecological and cultural responsibilities," founders Axel Landstrm and Victor Isaksson Pirtti explained. "There's a growing ambition among creatives to reclaim Swedish design on the international stage."The ongoing recession in Sweden has clearly been a factor, with journalist and co-founder of design brand Matsson Marnell Katarina Matsson arguing that the economic downturn has made room for experimentation.Lab La Bla used ground-up corks for its mini-golf course at Stockholm Furniture Fair. Photo byErik Lefvander"The recession has taken a big toll on the traditional design market and brands who are depending heavily on business-to-business, but that also gives room for a younger scene to evolve and expand," she said."There's a lot of new talent to watch, working on a small scale within historic Swedish industries such as wood, glass and ceramics, and innovative handicraft and creative designers focusing on high-end collectibles."But Landstrm and Isaksson Pirtti argue that a tendency towards "gatekeeping and a reliance on safe aesthetics" can also be stifling."Emerging voices struggle to break through entrenched networks, especially in a tough economic climate where risk aversion dominates," they said."Swedish design seems to be in a transitional phase"Nova Beatrice agrees that the economic woes have had a knock-on effect on designers."Many Swedish brands and producers are having a very hard time at the moment," she said. "Due to the economic situation on the market, many brands are forced to cut down on costs and personnel, which affects their self-confidence and strength to invest, which in turn affects the designers. This is not only true for Sweden, but you can really sense it here."Sweden's design scene is now at an "in-between" moment, says Note's Pigazzini.Among Note Design Studio's work is this installation for Vibia. Photo courtesy of Note Design Studio"Swedish design has been one of the strongest voices in the Scandinavian scene for many years, but with the rise of a new Danish era, Swedish design seems to be in a transitional phase," he said."This is also evident in the latest Stockholm Design Week and Furniture Fair. Many well-known Swedish brands chose not to participate in the fair or design week, reflecting a more hesitant approach.""The energy, innovation, and creativity these established Swedish companies traditionally brought were noticeably absent."Read: Dezeen to launch Dezeen Dispatch at Stockholm Design WeekHowever, this has also left an opening for others to take their place, he adds, though the shift is still at an early stage."Swedish designers and creators seem to have stepped in to fill this gap, taking on a bigger role and substituting for the companies. While new brands like Pholc and Verk are emerging, they remain relatively small and cannot yet take on the role of Swedish design ambassadors."Initiatives pairing established brands with emerging designers also remain a significant part of the Swedish design scene. One such example at Stockholm Design Week is Design Collaboration, established by design school Beckmans, which helps young designers get designs onto the market."The Swedish design scene is supportive of emerging designers, but of course, the uncertain economic times globally also affect recent design graduates that struggle to get into the design world," explained Anna Holmquist, a Beckmans tutor and co-founder of design studio Folkform.Design in Sweden "seen as part of larger global trends"Holmquist takes a positive view of the Swedish design scene, which she says is "more interdisciplinary and diversified" than in the past."A new generation of designers in the furniture industry are bringing sustainability, fashion, music and contemporary culture together, and are using sustainable materials, ethical production processes, and innovative approaches," she said.Emerging designer Simon Skinner, who will be showing at Stockholm Furniture Fair this year, concludes that Swedish design continues to be relevant in a changing world.A Stockholm Design Week show curated by Nova Beatrice's The New Era is displaying Mellsa-based designer David Taylor's playful Standing Clock. Photo by David Taylor"I think people outside Sweden view Swedish design differently today than they did 20 years ago," he said. "Unless something has a distinctly Scandinavian expression or execution, Swedish creative work now tends to be seen as part of larger global trends."That said, I believe Sweden plays a significant and unique role in shaping those trends, which reflects the strength of our influence on the global design scene."This article was originally written for the Dezeen Dispatch magazine at Stockholm Design Week 2025.Stockholm Design Week 2025 is taking place at various locations around the city from 3 to 9 February. To see what's on, visit Dezeen Events Guide.The post Swedish design is "bold, explorative, conscious and f***ing amazing" appeared first on Dezeen.