Ourse Brings Great Canadian Design to the World
Furniture fixation.
Canada has its fair share of acclaimed designers, but on the world stage most of the praise has been heaped on those who work on macro projects. Mirroring the country itself, the Canadian design scene has long valued largeness, with architecture in particular garnering attention from audiences both domestic and international. It’s not that there aren’t fantastic object designers in the Great White North. Indeed, from coast to coast, pioneering studios are crafting heirloom-worthy pieces of collectible, lighting, and furniture design deserving of the limelight often reserved for the country’s finest architects. Now, with the launch of Ourse, a pioneering new furniture company that highlights Canadian furniture designers, that limelight is changing focus.
Founded by CEO Jason Henderson and creative director Jake Oliveira, Ourse began as a response to a simple question: “Why can’t the next great international furniture brand be Canadian?” By focusing on incubating and marketing independent design talent under one roof, Ourse offers international markets the opportunity to experience the breadth of Canadian design with pieces of furniture conceived and produced in locations across the country. The brand’s inaugural collection, which made its debut at IDS this past January, consists of chairs, mirrors, stools, shelves, and a table designed by five of Canada’s rising stars in the world of furniture design. Among the standouts is the low-slung Alder Lounge Chair by Thom Fougere Studio and the pasta-inspired Farfalle Mirror by Oliveira himself, both of which are made in Montreal.
