Then and now
How it started
Beckmans was founded in 1939 by Anders Beckman, Göta Trägårdh, Carl Axel Virin and Bibi Lindström. Together they formed the school's first team of teachers with Anders Beckman as principal.
Anders Beckman (1907-1967) was educated at Tekniska Skolan (now Konstfack) in Stockholm. After graduating in 1930, he started an advertising agency and was very interested in innovative exhibition techniques and product presentations. He is probably best known for his graphic profile for the H55 exhibition in Helsingborg. In addition to creating now iconic posters, Anders Beckman worked on exhibitions. For the 1939 World's Fair in New York, he created a three-meter-high Dala horse as the entrance to the image of Sweden.
Göta Trägårdh (1904-1984), the school's main fashion teacher, was educated at the Technical School and the Academy of Fine Arts. She worked as a fashion illustrator and textile pattern designer. Her designs were colorful and graphic and had a great impact on the Swedish market. Göta Trägårdh also designed shop interiors and created exhibitions and signage for Swedish fashion companies such as Märthaskolan and Sidenhuset. For a period she was the fashion editor of Bonnier's monthly magazine.
Collaboration with the outside world
Right from the start, the program was characterized by collaboration with companies and institutions. The teachers at Beckmans were professionals with large contact areas, which gave the students important networks in the industries already during the education. The goal was to build bridges between art and industry, industry and the public, innovative ideas and the general public. Anders and Göta believed that the art of design was a key factor in the development of society. We are still of the same opinion!
After Anders Beckman's death in 1967, the school was continued by his wife Nunnie Beckman. In the mid-1980s, Anders Beckmans Skola AB was formed. The main owners were a number of Swedish companies with a focus on design, including H&M, IKEA and the Kjell and Märta Beijer Foundation (owner of Svenskt Tenn).
1992 startade utbildningsprogrammet Form under ledning av Jonas Bohlin, inredningsarkitekt och möbeldesigner.
State-supported university and a foundation
In 2003, the school was granted a degree and state funding under the name Beckman College of Design. The education thus became free of charge. Since autumn 2015, Beckmans Skola AB has been owned by the Beckman College of Design Foundation, whose founders are: Susanne Beckman, Agnès-Rosa Beckman, IKEA of Sweden, Marc O'Polo, Kjell and Märta Beijer Foundation, IDR Scandinavia, Lowe Brindfors, H&M AB, Föreningen Beckman College of Design, Familjen Robert Weils Stiftelse, Daniel Sachs Stiftelse, KING and Forsman & Bodenfors. In August 2022, the school moved to new premises at Agavägen 54 on Lidingö.
On an artistic basis
Beckman College of Design has three Bachelor of Arts degree programs (180 credits) Product design, Fashion, Visual Communication. The focus is on artistic and theoretical foundations, a high creative tempo, proximity to society, a professional teaching staff, guest teachers with different specialist knowledge and experience, and collaboration across disciplines. Important social issues linked to sustainability, diversity, economy and culture permeate the education.
Beckman College of Design has 123 students and 30 employees. Over the year, a large number of guest teachers are hired and Beckmans collaborates often and closely with the education's respective industries as well as with organizations, platforms and people with whom Beckmans shares interests.