Sebastian Herkner was born in 1981 and raised in Mergentheim, Bade Wurtemberg, Germany. He graduated as an industrial designer from the Offenbach University of the Arts. When studying, he made an internship in fashion design at Stella McCartney in London where his interest for colours and opulent materials was reinforced. In 2006, Sebastian Herkner founded his own design studio in Offenbach where several employees are currently working and which specializes in the designing of furniture, lights, accessories and everyday items.
Sebastian Herkner's designs are characterized by modern shapes and traditional craftsmanship. He always focusses on function, material and details on the product. Herkner draws inspiration for his creative work from his numerous travels abroad and thanks to his curiosity takes home a lot of new ideas. His objective is to create durable and timeless home furnishings which impact on the world.
Soon after graduating, Sebastian Herkner had its first sweeping success. His Bell Table for ClassiCon won the red dot design award in 2010. The table is at the same time extravagant and timeless. It appeals with a well thought through breach with the usual. The Bell Table's top is a heavy copper plate, while its clear base evokes lightness. For the Giass ceiling lamp for Kundalini, Sebastian Herkner was inspired by hotel bars' scotch glasses, while the Collar suspension for the Scandinavian brand Gubi has a metallic shade shaped like a collar which matches the glass diffuser's contour. Moreover, Sebastian Herkner worked together with renowned brands, such as Pulpo, Cappellini, Moroso, Rosenthal and Zanotta. For his Domo vase series for Rosenthal, Herkner won the German Design Award in 2016 and Maison&Objet elected him designer of the year 2019.
Photo: Ingmar Kurth