Would you ever believe that behind the most iconic rubbish bin there's actually a love story? I was very surprise to read the story behind Vipp, selected not once but twice by MoMA in New York, both in its original version from 1939, as well as the updated version which is on the market today.
The Vipp story begins one spring Sunday in 1931 when 17-year-old Holger Nielsen wins a car in a lottery at the local football stadium. Holger loves cars but has no driving licence, and he therefore decides to sell the car and invest in a metal lathe. This marks the beginning of Holger’s metal factory where, a few years later, he creates a product that will become famous around the world: the Vipp pedal bin.
The year is 1939 - Holger Nielsen and Marie Axelsen have just married. A trained hairdresser, Marie decides to open her own salon. Money is tight so Marie asks her husband to help furnish the salon with, among other things, a practical rubbish bin. After spending many days labouring in his workshop, Holger is ready to show Marie his Vipp pedal bin – and she is delighted with the result. Originally, the Vipp bin was intended for Marie only. However, many wives of doctors and dentists have their hair done at Marie’s salon and find the Vipp bin perfect for their husbands’ clinics, particularly in light of its practical and sturdy design. Thus the pedal bin soon becomes a permanent feature of Danish clinics.
The Vipp pedal bin has been only marginally improved since 1939 and it's nowadays a must-have for any lover of the Scandinavian style. You can see here both the iconic version as well as the new one.
Source Vipp.