In January the 12th 2017 the successful Swedish designer Katja Geiger became 97 years old. Today on the 25th of January she sadly passed away. Educated at the Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm and Parson’s School of Design in New York she became a productive designer with her own brand Katja of Sweden. Her first collection was launched in 1949 and was a success from start.
As a young woman Katja Geiger was a brave and sometimes controversial girl. She met her second husband in New York, the film director Rod Geiger, who worked together with Ingrid Bergman’s husband Roberto Rossellini. Rod Geiger became very much involved with the Katja of Sweden business.
Katja Geiger’s vision was inspired by Bruno Mathsson. After the Second World War the European fashion was still strict and not comfortable enough for the new stylish chairs by Bruno Mathsson that started to become fashionable. Katja Geiger’s vision was to design for the modern and active woman in need for fashionable cloths for home, work and leisure. Colourful design with lot of prints with variable sets of dresses, jackets, shoes, skirts and shirts were produced for different preferred combinations. This was new. The cloths were comfortable and useful for hectic women on the run, as well as relaxing at home with modern furniture.
The couple moved to Sweden in 1953 and continued with the brand Katja of Sweden, now in co-operation with the Malmo Factory, MMT. Katja Geiger’s most successful event was in Paris in 1966 which resulted in lot of articles by international press. Sweden, Denmark and especially America were important markets as well as Europe.
Katja Geiger was been a productive artist and designer. She has been an inspiration for many of the modern Swedish designers of today and important part of the Swedish fashion history.
Thorsson förlag 