Celebrating International Women’s Day by reflecting on the achievements of Bolon sisters, Marie and Annica Eklund.
It’s a remarkable story. Over 70 years ago in Stockholm, Sweden, an idea sparked into life. Textile waste became rag rugs and Bolon was born. In many ways, Bolon founder Nils-Erik Eklund was ahead of his time and today, his ability to see opportunity where others couldn’t, continues to inspire Bolon.
Today, his granddaughters Marie and Annica keep the spirit alive. When the Eklund sisters took control of Bolon in 2003, they decided to follow their instinct and passion for design to transform their family flooring business into an innovative global design empire that sees the fusion of traditional flooring with the boundless creativity of the world of fashion.
In doing so, they’ve collaborated with world-renowned and leading creators, visionaries and entrepreneurs, including Missoni, Armani, Tom Dixon, Jean Nouvel and Giulio Cappellini and are held in high regard within both design and architectural circles.
Marie and Annica spread their love of design beyond Bolon. The sisters have more recently revitalised Villa La Madonna, a romantic boutique hotel in Italian wine region, Piemonte, into a luxury bohemian dream. The effortless and all-encompassing aesthetic is testament to the sisters’ meticulousness and eye for detail which has recently been recognized by Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Consumed by design, Annica also extends her creativity to capturing the essence of people and objects via her photographic studio, Annica Eklund Studio. From fashion portraits, to landscape and still life photography, Annica’s views of the world through the lens of a camera adorn the walls of Bolon showrooms and Villa La Madonna and exhibit within shows across the globe, and beyond.
Adding to their success across the globe, Marie and Annica unleashed their creativity in Australia through the launch of their first Bolon showroom in Sydney, in partnership with The Andrews Group.
“After 15 years of working with The Andrews Group to deliver innovative flooring solutions to Australian Architects and Designers, we’re thrilled to support the expansion of Bolon in the region with a Showroom in Sydney, our first in Australia. We look forward to offering a space where Designers and Architects can truly experience the Bolon brand and share ideas in a collaborative and inspiring environment.” says Marie Eklund, CEO, Bolon.
The flexible space showcases Bolon’s full range of collections and collaborations and has become a hub of design where tactile flooring and artistic installations serve as a backdrop for a rotating program of exhibitions, workshops, lectures and dinners
So, what’s to come with this dynamic design duo? Expect the unexpected!