Oscar Kylberg has given an interview to NWT, a newspaper from Värmland. Oscar is 42 years old, engaged with Maria Nilsson and they have son Walther, 20 months.
Oscar went to boarding school Lundsberg, and then to a British school in Saudi Arabia, where his family moved because of his parents' jobs. Then back to Sweden to boarding school in Sigtuna, and then on to economics studies at the University of Monaco.
- I sat on the economics lectures and discovered that I preferred drawing the teachers than listened to what they said.
He also made an excursion to the television world.
- I ran a web design agency in Halmstad, together with Carl Bennet, but we suffered like many others IT death around 2000.
In Halmstad time he met a program manager on MTV, Jonsered.
- I pitched an idea for him that was based on an interactive cartoon soap for the web. This was at ISDN-time. Nothing came of it but those I met needed a talented creator to a new company in Stockholm.
TV media inspired Oscar. He managed to sell a format into China. The format was a reality show about shopping, "Big time spender", and was a huge success for the Chinese CETV. Oscar lived in China a couple of years.
- It was "the ride of my lifetime". Completely crazy. We moved around to different cities where we recorded. The program was about educating consumers in what is quality when you shop. We had between 80 and 100 million viewers on the opening night.
After studying graphic design at Forsberg his design career really started in Sweden.
Through mutual friends he met Carl Philip, and the two hit it off immediately.
- I noticed that he had a passion for design and expression. He was a "diamond in the rough", had an incredible talent and great frame of reference. Had very strong ideas but did not know how to formulate them. It's fun to be there when someone finds his thing and the floodgates opened.
Working with the prince is no different to working with anyone. Three or four days a week they are in the studio fully focused on the job. They draw, look books, listen to music and have fun together. And they contribute equally to the final result.
- There is no prestige or hypocrisy between us. We owe each other the total sincerity. It's about respect.
Oscar describes the prince as a thoroughly nice person.
- Thoughtfulness is his strongest trait. If someone comes up to get an autograph or take pictures, he is always friendly. He can also say no in a friendly way.
He doesn't deny that the prince gives a lot of free publicity to their joint venture.
- It is clear that he is a "door opener". But it's a double-edged sword, if we would do something bad it would come out quickly.
Their PR agency has the paradoxical task of holding back the pressure from the media.
- Yes, a little bit so it is actually. We are giving very few interviews, and only together. This is an exception - but that's just because you come from Värmland.
They have primarily chosen to work with classic Swedish brands. The cooperation with porcelain factory Gustavsberg resulted in "Swedish animals".
- Gustavsberg is a progressive and enjoyable company. We wanted to take back the humor a bit and drew animals. It was sculpted, three dimensional.
The serie launched at the NK department store in Stockholm has been a great success.
Then they designed a series of sports jackets to A-one, which came out in 2014 and are sold on the MQ.
Last fall Åhléns launched a textile collection "Design by Bernadotte & Kylberg" consisting of rugs, cushions, throws, towels and bedding textiles.
- There is a difference between designing towels to make a great "centerpiece" of SEK 25 000. It is more difficult to succeed with a cheaper thing used every day that people only buy if they really like it.
The series sold in 77 Åhléns department stores have broken all sales records.
- After a week all was sold. They placed a new order immediately to have something for Christmas.
The pattern on the textiles is a version of a pattern they used at a charity project for Childhood Foundation. They designed a rug that was auctioned off at Bukowski.
- Childhood is like a parachute for the abused children. That's how we came up with it.
Now the focus is on the new series "Stockholm", bowls and vases for Stelton. The series will be sold worldwide. What Stelton cooperation will mean for the company future is difficult to say. But they have no plans to hire employees.
- We do not hurry. We work on long term. The most important thing is that it is we who make the stuff. There will never be 25 designers with us. We can think of bringing in students and collaborate with schools, perhaps, but it is we who do the design.
Designer från Hammarö gör internationell karriär med prins Carl Philip - nwt.se - Ditt Värmland, just nu
Translation
Perhaps that is the problem. He is not utilising his chosen field of education and instead seems to be dabbling in design and photography and remains passionate only about racing cars. All in all, he seems like the quintessential dilettante.
