Gustaf Westman on his funky furniture with a cult following

For Gustaf Westman, inspiration for his furniture and playful homeware comes mostly from fashion and Danish design. At 26, the Swedish designer is already recognised far and wide for his signature playful and curvy creations. His chunky cups, curvy desks and flower-shaped mirrors have gained a cult following from muses such as Matilda Djerf and Tyler, the Creator.

Here, the Soho House Stockholm member gives us an insight into his start, inspiration, and his love of all things Danish design.

What did you study? 
‘I studied architecture in Gothenburg and before that I studied art history.’ 

What was your first job? 
‘It was in the warehouse at my mum’s job. It wasn’t for me, though – I’m not a very organised person, so I made mistakes all the time.’

What did you want to be when you were a child? 
‘All I knew is that I wanted to work with something creative. I was such a dreamer as a kid – you’d barely see me without a sketchbook. There are so many pictures of family and friends sitting in one group hanging out, and then there’s me 15m away with a sketchbook. I designed everything. I created these small tasks for myself depending on what I did, or where I was. If my family was on a ski trip, I designed helmets, skis and clothing.’
 
Where do you get your inspirations from? 
‘That’s the hardest question for me. I get inspiration from a lot of things, of course – it’s more from things I need to do to keep being focused and creative. For example, I need to be social and hang out with friends. I also run almost every day, it’s the best way to clear my head.’ 

What inspired you to launch your own brand? 
‘Launching it happened very organically, so it doesn’t feel like I “started” my own brand. But when it comes to how I work, I would say I take most of my inspiration from fashion. I love seeing documentaries about fashion. I can recommend one I saw yesterday about Dries van Noten on HBO.’

How would you explain your USP to members? 
‘I think I manage to make objects that are easy to understand, but still stand out. And I present them in a personal and fun way.’

If you didn’t take this career path, what else might you have wanted to do? 
‘I should have worked with something else creative, for sure. Probably clothes.’

How often do you change the look of your living spaces? 
‘Every weekend, basically. I love to do smaller changes often. Then, I make bigger ones regularly as well, like changing the large pieces of furniture, which is easy now that I have my own furniture company [laughs].’

How does being a Soho House member help with your lifestyle? 
‘I especially love visiting the Houses all around the world. It’s nice and comfortable to know there’s a place that feels familiar and like home when you’re away.’ 

Which House’s design aesthetic do you like best?  
‘I haven’t visited them all yet, as I’m a pretty new member, but one I’d love to see is Soho Beach House in Miami. Since it was designed by Swede Martin Brudnizki, I have to go with that one.’

Do you have a favourite Soho Home item? 
‘The Oxley Coffee Table is really cool.’

What period of design do you love? 
‘When it comes to materiality and shape, I would go with the modernist 1920s and 1930s design. But I also love Italian 1970s and 1980s when it comes to rule-less design and colours. It’s a difficult question.’

Describe your style in three words. 
‘Simple, playful, flamboyant.’

Does your fashion sense replicate your interior tastes? 
‘I don’t know. I’m very interested in fashion as an art form, but how I dress personally is maybe more mellow in comparison to my designs.’ 

Is there a certain country that has influenced your style? 
‘Denmark, for sure. Basically, all my childhood icons come from there.’ 

If you could choose one item from your own collection, what would it be? 
‘I think my best design is the chunky cup. It’s simple and has an everyday use, which I love.’ 

What do you do to switch off and relax? 
‘Go for a run or drink beers with friends.’ 

What’s your favourite album to listen to while you design? 
‘That’s probably the hardest question here. I like to listen to various types of music and have some lists on my Spotify that people can find and follow if they want. But if I have to say one album, it’s Blonde by Frank Ocean.’ 

Apply for membership at Soho House Stockholm.