Thorsten van Elten
design entrepreneur
http://www.thorstenvanelten.com

German-born Thorsten van Elten set up his own manufacturing and retail business in 2002. After several years' experience in furniture retail and manufacture for Christopher Farr and SCP, Thorsten had become frustrated with the lack of manufacturing support for British-based designers and recognised an expanding market for well-made design products with a particularly quirky character.

Thorsten now manufactures a small collection of furniture, accessories and lighting. The first collection was launched at 100% Design London in 2002 and featured designers Ed Carpenter, Sam Johnson, Alex Taylor and mosleymeetswilcox. Since then Thorsten has regularly launched his new designs not only at 100% Design but also at the Milan Furniture Fair and Pulse. Over the past three years, the van Elten stable has grown to include Peter Mac Cann, Gitta Gshwendtner, Richard Shed, Barnaby Barford & Andre Klauser, Gavin Coultrip, Rose Cobb and Fly-Pitcher.

Thorsten also works as the exclusive UK agent and distributor for like-minded international companies such as roomsafari (Berlin), Trico (Tokyo), Richard Hutten (Rotterdam), Goods (Amsterdam), Interior Tools (Rotterdam), Details (Cologne), Czech Mania (Prague), Artificial (Nuremberg), Kaether & Weise (Lamspringe), Decorum (Istanbul) & Derin (Istanbul).

Ultimately Thorsten's mission to work with people he likes, on products he loves. He's under no illusion that these products are going to change the world forever, but claims that he just wants to bring some new ideas to people and hopes that some of the products will even make people laugh. His success lies in a great talent for spotting well-designed products with genuine individuality but enough presence to attract the attention of both the press and the paying public.