Torben Ørskov

Torben Ørskov was a prominent Danish manufacturer and design merchant who made a significant contribution to the Danish design industry during the 1950s and 1960s.

Torben Ørskov

Torben Ørskov was a prominent Danish manufacturer and design merchant who made a significant contribution to the Danish design industry during the 1950s and 1960s. He was born in 1927 and founded his company when he was just 25 years old, having returned from the United States where he worked as a salesman for a wholesale company dealing in design products.

With a keen understanding of how to create a business based on design products and his own ideas about what constituted good design, Ørskov launched his own chain of stores called Form & Color, which specialized in producing simple and functional designs at reasonable prices.

From 1953 to 1986, Form & Farver (Form & Colours) in Copenhagen became the go-to place for the young and style-conscious in Denmark looking for something trendy and functional for their homes. Ørskov's company quickly became an institution in the country, and he was considered one of the most important design merchants in Denmark at the time.

One of Ørskov's greatest talents was his ability to collaborate with designers and bring their ideas to life. He had close friendships with many of the most prominent Danish designers of the era, including Jørgen Utzon, Kristian Vedel, Finn Juhl, Jørgen Møller, and Hans Bølling. These designers all created products that Ørskov put into production, many of which have become classics in the world of design today.

In addition to his collaborations with other designers, Ørskov also initiated the production of several designs that have become iconic in their own right. His flair for creating functional and beautiful products at reasonable prices helped to make Danish design known around the world.

Although Torben Ørskov passed away in 2008, his legacy continues to influence the design industry in Denmark and beyond. His commitment to producing functional and stylish products at an affordable price point has inspired generations of designers and continues to shape the industry today.