We’ve been hearing from Georg Jensen a bit lately, from a new jewelry collection inspired by its iconic art nouveau Grape bowl to its latest offering: a limited-edition capsule that revives some of the the standout jewelry designs of Nanna Ditzel (1923–2005), the first woman to ever design for the Danish design house.
Timed to coincide with Women’s History Month, the collection will include some of Ditzel’s most recognizable designs in silver, as well as some forthcoming lesser-known archival designs in 18k gold. Ditzel’s work is considered among the most collectible Georg Jensen jewelry pieces by a female designer, along with those by Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe (1927-2004). The workshop has collaborated with more than 30 women since the 1950s.
The new series revisits Ditzel’s affinity for crafting organic forms that complement the natural shape of the body—all minimalist, sculptural, and, in a present-day context, the epitome of Scandi chic.
Ditzel’s tenure with Georg Jensen spanned a half-century. She is regarded as the leading lady of Danish midcentury design, most notably in the worlds of furniture and textile design. Initially, she began training as a cabinetmaker, and later went on to study at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. She graduated in 1946 with a specialty in furniture design, and soon gained international renown for her experimental approach to materials, scale, and proportions. (Check out 1st Dibs and Chairish for some stunning examples; her rattan hanging egg chair from 1959 has recently come back into vogue in various forms.)
During her time at Georg Jensen, Ditzel designed more than 150 pieces, mainly in the jewelry category. And according to the house, they remain an integral part of Georg Jensen’s design legacy.
A Nanna Ditzel design originally from 1954: necklace in sterling silver, $2,200
A Nanna Ditzel design originally from 1956: brooch in sterling silver, $425
A Nanna Ditzel design originally from 1955: ring in sterling silver, $295
A Nanna Ditzel design originally from 1955: bangle in sterling silver, $1,300
Top: These sterling silver earrings, $395, were originally designed by Nanna Ditzel, one of the most prolific creative minds of the Scandinavian midcentury movement, for Georg Jensen in 1957.
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