Cate Högdahl, born 1978 in Strängnäs, Sweden and Nelson Ruiz-Acal, born 1983 in Seville, Spain. Educated at Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid, where they first met.
Neither of them is from England, even though one could be forgiven for thinking so because of their names. But in a way, that was how they met – through the English language – another platform, neutral ground, a verbal and visual arena. They met while studying at Istituto Europeo di Design, in Madrid, Spain. He is Spanish, with a southern European spirit and a natural sense for technical details. She is Swedish, with Scandinavian objectivity and conceptual thinking. A college project brought them together and they discovered that they worked so well as a team and decided to continue collaborating
Their inspiration is drawn from an ongoing design dialogue, and through observation of daily situations and needs that arise from furniture requirements and space we utilise. Cate & Nelson want their furniture to offer something over and above expectations with a touch of humour. Respectfully, with humility and a glint in their eye, they follow the entire design process. They take great joy in being a part of the journey from the first idea to the final product going on the market and finding a home.
