Interview with Stilleben’s Copenhagen Duo

Since 2002, Ditte Reckweg and Jelena Schou Nordentoft have been shaping Copenhagen’s design scene through Stilleben, their concept store and design brand. The store offers everything from ceramic vases and tableware to contemporary textiles, prints and accessories, alongside pieces designed by the duo themselves. The two designers first crossed paths at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where they discovered a shared interest in craftsmanship and distinctive objects.

We caught up with them at Shoppe Object Paris to talk about their Copenhagen store, their favourite Paris addresses and what they took away from the Salon.

Tell us about your store and what makes it unique.

Stilleben has been part of our lives for 25 years, and Jelena and I have been partners throughout that time. We have a store in Copenhagen, as well as our own Stilleben brand, where we design and produce everything from tableware to home textiles, towels and other pieces.

How would you describe the personality of your city?

We would describe Copenhagen in three words: free, relaxed and functional. There are so many great things to say about the city, but I think those three words capture it quite well.

What’s your favourite place to go when you come to Paris?

We always start with food, but we don’t really have one favourite place in Paris. There are so many great places, and it doesn’t have to be high-end. Yesterday, we went to Les Deux Amis, which we loved. That’s very much what we like about Paris: the relaxed atmosphere, simple but delicious food and, of course, wine. We always stop by Merci, and we also like discovering small independent stores like our own. We even found a really beautiful soap shop in the Marais, Officine Universelle Buly. It’s these little places, a bit out of the ordinary, that we love discovering.

What caught your eye at Shoppe Object Paris?

We thought Shoppe Object Paris was very well curated, and it was a real pleasure to be there. What’s interesting is that the Salon is carefully selected, while the brands also make thoughtful choices about what they bring, so the whole experience feels more focused. That’s really nice.

There was one company in particular that caught our eye, East and Press, an English brand making beautiful cards and Christmas decorations using cotton paper. We liked how much attention they put on the material and quality. Their paper press technique gives the pieces a handmade feeling. Overall, we really enjoyed that part of the Salon. You can feel the atmosphere; everything fits well together, and it’s surprisingly relaxing.

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