Style

In collaboration with Nordgreen.

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for Danish design and the latest Copenhagen-based brand to catch my eye is Nordgreen. The Scandinavian watch company began in 2017 with partners Pascar Sivam and Vasilij Brandt who sought to create a timepiece collection that was both beautiful and environmentally responsible. Enlisting the partnership of award-winning designer Jakob Wagner, whose resume includes Hay, B&B Italia, and others, Nordgreen was born.

The name marries those two foundations of the brand: “Nord,” a reflection of its Nordic identity, and “Green,” to reflect its sustainable practices. In addition to partnering with NGOs to support urgent global causes through quarterly corporate social responsibility campaigns, Nordgreen allows the customer the opportunity to give back. Each watch purchased, allows the customer to select a cause you to support: Water for Good, Pratham UK, or Cool Earth.

We believe the right to good health, a clean environment, and a full education are rights for all. The harsh reality, however, is that much of the world does not experience them. Motivated by our Danish values, when we founded Nordgreen, we knew we had to do our part to help to change this in whatever way we could. There was no excuse not to give back.
— Pas & Vas, Nordgreen’s founders

Nordgreen offers two styles for women (the Infinity and the Unika), two unisex designs (the Philosopher and the Native), and a men’s version (the Pioneer). For many of the watches, you can select your metal color (silver, gold, gunmetal, or rose gold), the face color (black, navy, or white), the face size (32mm, 36mm, or 40mm), and the band type. I opted for the Native because of its elegant, minimalist approach — a hallmark of Danish design — with the slightly larger 36mm face for a borrowed-from-the-boys look, and as you’ll see in the image below, the watch still has a slim profile making it comfortable for everyday wear. And, thanks to its timeless design, it’ll be part of my wardrobe for years to come — buying fewer, better things that’ll stand the test of time is one of the most sustainable things we can do for our wardrobes, which really speaks to the heart of the Nordgreen brand.

“I don’t think so much about the product; I think about the person using it, the context. We all have relationships with our products. I see myself as the one that makes sure that relationship is a good one.”
— Jakob Wagner

SOURCES:

Watch: Nordgreen (c/o)
Brass Ram: vintage; there’s one on eBay here
Books: In the Name of Gucci; Snoop Dogg: From Crook to Cook; Styled; Wisconsin Supper Clubs; Things Come Apart