A taste for all things Nordic Nordic but nice: the tradition of <br/>well-made, good-looking products has won favour with consumers overseas for such items as the Artichoke light, first designed by Poul Henningsen Just a few years ago Ecco, a Danish shoemaker founded 50 years ago, switched its marketing strategy to tap into the latest surge for all things Nordic, by emphasising the brand's Scandinavian design credentials rather than the comfort and durability of its footwear. "Before, we were doing shoots in America emphasising all different aspects of the brand," says Margit Gosau, vice-president of brand management, at Ecco's head office in Bredebro, near the border with Germany. But there has since been a big push to highlight our place in the Scandinavian design tradition, which has helped to frame our products as more than just sensible footwear, but something more profound, minimalist and trendy. The results have been dramatic. In the past year pre-tax profits rose by more than 40 per cent to Dkr900m ($151m). Growth was particularly strong in Asia and the US markets, which make up more than half of all sales. "People all around the world are more interested in Scandinavian des­ign that at any time in recent memory," says Tine Kjølsen, special ad­viser to the rector of the Danish School of Design in Copenhagen, pointing to the success of a host of Nordic brands including Acne, the hip Swedish fashion label, and Sandqvist, the backpack maker. Some of the best-known designers with international reputations come from Scandinavia - Denmark, Sweden and Norway - but the wider Nordic region, which also includes Finland, Iceland and Greenland - has benefited from the raised profile, with Finland in particular producing giants of design-led style. "It's partly because of books such as Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy and TV shows like The Killing and Borgen, which have thrown a cultural spotlight on the region," Ms Kjølsen says. "But it is also due to a renewed interest in the Nordic lifestyle" Along with the robust economies in the Nordic countries, which have suffered less badly from the financial crisis than most of Europe, a view has emerged that "Scandinavia is a kind of utopian region filled with happy, rich and beautiful people constantly cycling in the sunshine." Henrietta Thompson, curator of an annual design exhibition "100% Norway," argues that there is also something intrinsic to the design style - simple, clean-looking and well-made products - that particularly resonates with consumers today. "All those things that Scandinavian design is known for like humbleness, honesty and good quality - without being too shiny and loud like some Italian styles - very much fits in with the austerity-driven post-crisis age we live in," she says. There is also a renewed interest in craft and where things come from, which chimes with the Scandinavian tradition. How the industry became world class ● Minimal modernism. The region's Protestant tradition engendered an attitude of spare, simple living with functional rather than decorative objects that chimed with modernist ideas. Stelton, the Danish company famed for stripped-down designs by architect Arne Jacobsen, exemplifies this with beautifully crafted stainless steel table products. ● Light and climate. Long winter nights and summer days bred respect for light, so light fittings look natural and beautiful. Louis Poulsen makes some of the most stylish lamps in the world, most notably the Poul Henningsen Artichoke light. The cold winters mean spending a lot of time indoors, so Scandinavians surrounded themselves with well-made objects. ● Crafts. Late industrialisation led to the survival of craft traditions that were lost elsewhere. When the new design schools were set up in the early 20th century they ensured that craft skills were maintained and later applied to industrial processes. Georg Jensen, an inheritor of the tradition, is known for modern, well-crafted jewellery design. ●Wealth. The relatively equal distribution of wealth in Scandinavia has ensured there is a big internal market for products that are relatively expensive. Because so many consumers can afford good design, it is not seen as elitist. ●Investment. Scandinavian companies are prepared to invest a lot of time and money into working with the best designers on even the most mundane products. It is this backing from industry over the long term that has made Scandinavian design sustainable. Edwin Heathcote Ms Thompson adds that increasingly consumers interest in design as an important element of everyday life, has helped all design-led companies, but particularly in those in this region where style has always focused on ordinary people and their homes. Ikea, the world's biggest furniture maker, lives or dies by its design credentials. But other companies such as Kone, the Finnish liftmaker, or Lego, the toymaker also say design is crucial to their global appeal. The launch of Volvo's new V40 car this year is being accompanied by seminars on Scandinavian design. The companies themselves, as well as various well-funded bodies, invest in promoting Scandinavian ideas abroad. Magnus Englund, founder of design shop Scandium, wrote a book called Scandinavian Modern. To his surprise, 100,000 copies have been sold globally, mostly because Ikea promoted it - even though he had featured none of its products: "They thought it did enough for the Scandinavian design brand to be worth their while." Underlying the marketing efforts, cultural trends or effects of a few television shows, however, the companies point to the quality of their products and development strategies. "From shoes to water bottles, Scandinavian design is clean and fresh- looking," says Dieter Kasprzak, chief executive of Ecco and life-long shoemaker. This means everyone from Hong Kong to Los Angeles can appreciate it, no matter what the pervading culture or taste. It can fit in everywhere. Marcus Engman, design manager at Ikea, where global sales have reached €25bn, says: "Our international success is only possible because our products are not just affordable, functional and stylish but blendable. You can blend Scandinavian design into any other style and it will fit. Another reason for the success of some Nordic companies such as Ikea and H&M - looking beyond what is fashionable at the moment - is the low cost of the products. The root of this dates back to the 1950s leftwing political ideal that companies should be providing beautiful goods for all at a reasonable price. Ecco says it has also benefited from emphasising its link with nature, which is another prominent theme in Scandinavian design, owing to the region's vividly contrasting seasons. Asked if the strong appeal of Scandinavian design can persist, Ms Kjølsen speaks for many the region's design-led companies when she says: "We are standing on the shoulders of giants, and growing pretty tall ourselves these days."