“MoMA Design Store is one of the most sublime design destinations in the world. I feel constantly inspired by the dialogue we’ve had in the past, and keep having today.”—Mette Hay, HAY co-founder
Why We Chose HAY
Danish design is often associated with a focus on function and simplicity: clean lines, uncluttered and unfussy, but generally with a higher-than-average price point. HAY, founded in 2002 in Denmark by husband-and-wife team Mette and Rolf Hay, was born with the idea of offering thoughtful, functional, beautiful and high-quality designs at accessible prices. It’s an approach that parallels MoMA Design Store’s philosophy of democratizing good design.
We Opened the Hay Mini Market in Soho
In August 2015, MoMA Design Store teamed up with HAY to launch a HAY Mini Market at our Soho store, as well as a product assortment on our site. Their designs are in keeping with their mission of creating beautiful, functional designs for everyday use, and their fun, bold colors have made them such a customer favorite, that we have continually expanded our assortment.
HAY Design in MoMA's Collection
HAY is represented as a manufacturer in MoMA’s collection with several objects, such as the Prince Chair, a 2002 design by Louise Campbell. Devised for a competition to create a chair for the Crown Prince of Denmark, its seat resembles an unfolded paper cutout. Another design in the collection, Stefan Diez’s 2013 Rope Trick Lamp, is inspired by power transfer coils common to CNC hardware.
Popular Categories include HAY Furniture & Lighting
HAY’s fresh interpretation on Danish design focuses on ease of functionality and bold use of color, which is seen throughout their furniture and lighting. The designs are both bold and clean, and are produced with high-quality industrial manufacturing. The HAY team works with international designers to realize their visions and transform unconventional ideas into beautiful, livable furnishings for your home.
Popular designs include Pierre Charpin’s PC Portable Lamp which features a curved lamp shade that contains the light source. “It creates a nice area of light to have a glass of wine outside on a warm night,” says Charpin. The Bouroullec brothers’ Palissade furniture is inspired by the chairs and benches found in Parisian parks.
Customer Favorites Include Decor, Kitchen & Accessories
HAY designer Mette Hay employs her keen eye for color when choosing each season’s palette, and the hues often range from soothing pastels and muted tones to bright pops of color and unexpected combinations. HAY designs bring solutions to the kitchen, such as an electric kettle by George Sowden, a founder of the Memphis Design Group. The kettle exemplifies Sowden’s knack for creating useful objects that double as sculptures.
Clara von Zweigbergk’s Paper Paper Bin is a visual pun: it’s an office bin made from paper that holds paper waste. The colorful collapsible storage bins —a customer favorite—are useful for organizing items in your bathroom, home office, kitchen and children’s room. The crates easily fold and open in seconds, thanks to a patented hinge and lock system.
International Collaborations Within the HAY Design Assortment
HAY works with established and emerging designers who are located all over the world, such as Clara von Zweigbergk, George Sowden, Inga Sempé, Iskos-Berlin, Lex Pott, Sebastian Wrong, Ana Kraš, Muller Van Severen and Shane Schneck. Some of the designers who have created products for HAY are represented in MoMA’s collection: Nathalie du Pasquier, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Naoto Fukasawa, and Stefan Diez.
