Sebastian Herkner

Sebastian Herkner has always been interested in traditional craftsmanship such as glass blowing, wood carving and basket weaving, and he combines these skills with new technologies and contemporary design. "I love going on expeditions and immersing myself in the everyday life of foreign countries," says the designer.

The designer-craftsman

Born in Bad Mergentheim in 1981, he studied product design at the University of Art and Design in Offenbach, focusing on the design of furniture and objects. Immediately after graduating in 2007, Herkner set up his own studio in Offenbach, which now employs five people. Herkner's rapid success is also due to his keen sense of colors, materials and textures. His designs always have a certain twist, whether artfully woven outdoor furniture, hand-blown side tables or hand-woven carpets.

Herkner has received numerous design awards, including the Elle Deco International Design Award (EDIDA)/Best Designer of the Year 2021, Maison & Objet/Designer of the Year 2016 and iF Design Award. His creative range is remarkable: he works for both manufactories and industrial manufacturers of high-quality design, such as Classicon, Dedon, Cappelini, Fritz Hansen and Zwiesel, and also works as an interior and exhibition designer.

Sebastian Herkner and Duravit

The versatile designer created the harmonious bathroom series Zencha for Duravit – sanitary objects with rounded shapes, soft lip rims and puristic storage furniture with fine frames, inspired by Japanese bathing and tea culture. Herkner is delighted with his first bathroom collection, having already gained experience working with porcelain at the porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal: "It was a very inspiring collaboration, not least because at Duravit there is someone with extensive expertise for every area." Sebastian Herkner lives and works in Offenbach and Berlin.

All series by Sebastian Herkner

Design by Sebastian Herkner

Zencha

The Zencha series