Sandqvist Knut Backpack

The Sandqvist brand was born in Stockholm in 2004 when it was founded by Anton Sandqvist. At that time, Anton was a very famous civil engineer working for an international electronics company. However, Anton realised that he did not have enough new challenges at work and decided that it was time to try something new, where he could be himself and unleash his creativity. It all started with him buying an industrial sewing machine to make a bag that catered for every day needs as nothing on the market at the time was capable of catching Anton’s eye and appearing sufficiently functional. Following 30 hours of work, the bag was finished with the result being excellent and catching the eyes of family and friends alike. Anton pretty quickly realised that there was a hole in the market and his functional and stylish bags could fill it.

It took just a year and a half for the Sandqvist name to become known and appreciated at the national level. With the brand yet at start up level, Anton was still working his day job and in order to cut down on delivery costs he often delivered the bags himself on his scooter.

As the business expanded, Anton moved to the People Magazine office, which had been founded by his brother Daniel and childhood friend Sebastian. He then offered his brother and friend a partnership in the business as payment for his use of the office. This expansion allowed Anton to broaden his horizons in terms of design development. In 2007, Sandqvist’s creations were featuring in major fashion publications and before they knew it they were participating in the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair. Sandqvist continued to grow on a daily basis with more and more retailers and sales agents outside of Sweden distributing its products. And the online store they launched helped make it even more global. This led to Anton leaving his job in order to direct all of his time towards the demanding development of the brand. In November that year, Sandqvist finally had its own office and Daniel and Sebastian became full time employees. Swedish fashion magazines, Cafe and King, awarded the company a design prize which ultimately led to the opening of the brands first flagship store.

Now the Sandqvist company already has solid foundations and is recognisable all over the world. Backpacks, bags, handbags, wallets and a variety of accessories are sold in more than 450 stores across 35 countries. The Scandinavian landscape and urban style have always been the key inspirations for Anton Sandqvist. Hence, the company is famous for functional and stylish products for men and women that reflect minimalist Scandinavian aesthetics. Sandqvist products are valued for their timeless design and are designed for a wide variety of people – from fashionable urban youth to office workers who need a good briefcase.