Young designers we like: mokkatanten

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

We are two designers, based in Berlin and Amsterdam with a passion for developing porcelain and textile products together. Our aim is to make products with the engineering care of a manufacturer. Tradition and social developments are the source for the feeling behind our products. We both see in our brand a challenge to reach out for simplicity and minimalise the design jungle that is tableware products. The humorous reflection of everyday life mirrors our environment and is reflected in our products.

How did you start designing?

We first met while working for a porcelain company and always kept in contact. We realized later that our different backgrounds could perhaps result in an exciting collaboration. Cora asked me if I could design a décor pattern for her cups. I really enjoyed the challenges of developing a pattern for such a mathematically abstract shape. Digitally positioning a lace fabric onto Cora’s cup encouraged us to take part in one of the first Design Mays (An international Design event) in Berlin. Shortly after this we founded Mokkatanten and continued developing products together.

What inspires you?

We are inspired by many things, mainly humour surrounding the table interior. We are inspired by the way we work and the distance between the two cities we live in which sometimes brings challenges for us to connect. We are inspired by our city environments and the objects we come in contact with daily.

What do you like/dislike?

Naturally we dislike imitations or copies but we try to see such reproductions of our work as a compliment. We dislike spending unnecessary amounts of money and we prefer to use as little material as possible for our exhibitions.

Who are your favourite designers?

Cora: I like the feeling for porcelain of Carsten Gollnick, the purism from Jasper Morrison and the arrogance from Philippe Starck . Insa: I’m always interested in newcomers. I recently became aware of Sayaka Abe who just graduated as a jewellery designer. I also appreciate the work of Frank Visser from Studio Ijm with his beautiful flying plants. Mathieu Lehanneur and David Edwards and their air filter systems appeal to me as well.

Describe your apartment.

Cora: The apartment has a very harmonizing interior spirit. It´s located in a classic Berlin building in a central upcoming area. The furniture and porcelain seem to tell a personal story and the natural interior tones blend softly in with the surroundings. The spacious rooms, with their elegant stucco mouldings perfectly contrast the simplicity of the thoughtfully selected objects. The style is a mixture of elements from the 30’s and contemporary interior comfort. Insa: It´s based in a former school building, located in the old Jewish area in the centre of Amsterdam. It´s what you would call a loft, where there are almost no room divisions. The working and living spaces are very close together. The style is industrial with a mix of hand-made furniture used mainly for practicality or to divide spaces. We like to keep the walls mainly white and clean as colours are otherwise abundant throughout the apartment.

A selection of their work:

Visit www.mokkatanten.com for more information.