What was the collaborative process like?

At first it was just trying to understand who he was. His family would send me old catalogues and brochures, and I'd go through and look for trends in his work. I wanted to get a basic understanding of what's important to him, both in his business and design philosophy, then I'd go to his home and interview him. Finally, when I felt comfortable with who he was, I started looking for ways to put a contemporary twist on his work. Photo 2 of 5 in What It's Like to Work With 99-Year-Old Design Icon Jens Risom by Luke Hopping

What It's Like to Work With 99-Year-Old Design Icon Jens Risom

2 of 5

What was the collaborative process like?

At first it was just trying to understand who he was. His family would send me old catalogues and brochures, and I'd go through and look for trends in his work. I wanted to get a basic understanding of what's important to him, both in his business and design philosophy, then I'd go to his home and interview him. Finally, when I felt comfortable with who he was, I started looking for ways to put a contemporary twist on his work.