Gubi
Marie Schmidt, CEO of Gubi, celebrates the brand’s unique, eclectic and timeless collection at 3daysofdesign, Denmark’s premier design festival in Copenhagen.
For Gubi, design has never been about objects alone – it’s about stories, emotions and finding joy in everyday life. “Gubi is a brand for people who enjoy storytelling throughout their home,” says Marie Schmidt, CEO of Gubi. “Gubi is a brand for people who make considered and thoughtful decisions about design and which pieces they want to live with at home.”
Founded in 1967 by Lisbeth and Gubi Olsen, Gubi has evolved over the decades into one of Denmark’s most distinctive design houses. Jacob Gubi Olsen, who transitioned the company in 2013, redirected the focus toward consumers and infused the brand with the spirit of creativity and playfulness it has become renowned for. “It is a brand that was and still is rooted in Denmark that has always been inspired by the world and has had a curiosity about culture, art, music, fashion, design, which is still a fundamental part of the brand today,” says Schmidt.
This global perspective was on full display during Copenhagen’s annual design festival 3daysofdesign from 18-20 June this year. The 2,000-square-metre Gubi showroom in Copenhagen’s historic docklands – a former tobacco factory – was transformed into four curated spaces that allowed people to explore the layers and moods of the Gubi portfolio. On display were iconic reissues of masterpieces by Afra and Tobia Scarpa to new collaborations with designers such as Linda Korndal and AMDL Circle.
“The conversation between the past, the present and the future is what we’re zooming in on for this 3daysofdesign,” says Schmidt. “Gubi has a fantastic portfolio of products ranging from these beautiful historic pieces that we all know and love to very creative, visionary and contemporary designs. Creating these curated universes that inspire people is what allows you to dig into different layers of the brand.”
The social heart of Gubi’s showcase was the Beetle Bar – both a hospitality destination and a celebration of the Beetle Collection, one of Gubi’s most enduring successes. “The Beetle Collection is a collection that’s been extremely important for Gubi for more than 10 years, and this year we are celebrating it with a fantastic bar,” she says. Creating this social, festive space was key to what Gubi stands for. “I think this is what Gubi is about, it’s about celebration,” she adds. “It’s what 3daysofdesign is about. And it’s also a way of elevating a product into an experience, which is extremely important for us as human beings.”
Gubi’s visionary collection and signature pieces certainly evoke emotion and tell meaningful stories, and 3daysofdesign was the perfect place to highlight this. “Everybody who is involved in design is super passionate about it, and this is an opportunity to really show the best of what we have,” says Schmidt.
