Jo Hammerborg

Jo Hammerborg was born in 1920 in Denmark. He trained as a silversmith from 1942 to 1943 before enrolling at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In 1957, Danish lighting producer Fog & Mørup hired Hammerborg as their head of design where he worked for three years. During his time at Fog & Mørup, he oversaw the brand's most successful period in their 80-year history. Thanks to Hammerborg’s keen eye to detail, Fog & Mørup underwent changes to their brand including adopting a modern aesthetic, introducing consistency across the brand, and imposing higher standards throughout the corporation.

Jo Hammerborg’s designs were heavily influenced by his time as a silversmith. He understood the importance of using high-quality materials for his products while minimising details such as joints and switches to improve their overall aesthetic. In his personal life, Hammerborg was a keen skydiver and trained to a professional level. However, it was this that led to his demise. In 1982, just two years after leaving F&M to start his own lighting business, Hammerborg died in a tragic skydiving accident. To this day his designs still prove popular so, decades later, it is still possible to buy a newly produced Jo Hammerborg lamp.