How Bauhaus’ Lasting Legacy Is Influencing Design Today
There are art schools, and there’s the Bauhaus. In 1919 an architect named Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany. Guided by the idea of Gesamtkunstwerk (or “total artwork”), Gropius sought to blur the lines between design and art by applying a crossdisciplinary approach to the curriculum.
Students were encouraged to develop their skills in workshops centered around subjects that included fine art, mural painting, architecture, graphic design, weaving, ceramics, and typography before selecting a specific discipline. Bauhaus focused on minimalism, craftsmanship, and artistry — making its mark on creativity due to its ethos of form & function and the belief that design should be for all.
You’ll probably recognize some of the names affiliated with Bauhaus, and if you don’t, you’ll recognize their work.
Marcel Breuer designed his iconic chairs of tubular steel, like the Cesca, and the B3, as well as The Breuer Building in New York, and Marianne Brandt’s teapot is unmistakable to any design buff. Mies van der Rohe’s buildings dot the Chicago skyline, while painters like abstraction innovator Wassily Kandinsky and color theorist Paul Klee taught at the school, and are among the most venerated artists.
There’s also Josef and Anni Albers; the former was known for his square paintings, while the latter made her name through intricate grid weavings. And don’t forget the lesser-known talents like Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, an Austrian multihyphenate who did everything from graphic design to fashion design, Lucia Moholy, whose photographs documented the school, and Margaretha Reichardt, who designed clothes and toys, and is also credited for developing the iron yarn Breuer used in his tubular steel chairs.
In 1925 the Bauhaus was forced to move to Dessau to escape political pressure from the conservative Weimar Republic. There, Walter Gropius built Bauhaus Dessau, an icon of the movement that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The school remained there until 1932 before moving to Berlin and permanently shutting down in 1933 after the Nazi’s rise to power.
Despite its relatively short tenure as a school, the Bauhaus movement went on to influence everyone from the late Virgil Abloh to IKEA, imbuing its principles into our daily lives.
Back in 2019 Highsnobiety partnered with the Bauhaus-Archiv / Museum für Gestaltung on a capsule collection celebrating the iconic school’s 100th anniversary. Now, we’re doing it again to mark the centennial of the Bauhaus arriving in Dessau in 1925. For this collection, Bauhaus became our mood board, as we incorporated subtle references to the art school-turned-movement’s aesthetic and innovative spirit.
To celebrate the release, we asked some of our favorite designers and founders in the design world about how Bauhaus inspires their practices and businesses.
Gustaf Westman, Founder of Swedish Design Studio Gustaf Westman Objects
What does Bauhaus mean to you?
A lot! It's the beginning of my absolute favorite era.
Why and when were you first drawn to Bauhaus?
Probably in my teens! I read a lot about it. I daydreamed that I was a student in the late 1920s haha.
How does it influence your work?
Well the idea they had I guess was to remove all unnecessary parts/ornaments of a design. And that's basically how I work. A lot of people want to compare my design to the Memphis movement but I see more similarities in modernism. For me it's always about finding the core of an idea and removing unnecessary parts, and it's always simple with one material, one color and one leading shape.
Bernard James, Fine Jewelry Designer, New York
What does Bauhaus mean to you?
Bauhaus, for me, is about the intersection of form and function in a really honest, unpretentious way. It’s a celebration of minimalism and geometric purity. It's the epitome of perspective and timelessness. More than just an aesthetic, it’s a philosophy that emphasizes simplicity, craftsmanship, and utility. It’s about taking something beautiful and functional, stripping away the unnecessary, and making it accessible. That ethos speaks to me deeply in how I approach my own design work — striking that balance between elegance and wearability, where every line and every detail serves a purpose.
Why and when were you first drawn to Bauhaus?
I feel at my core I've always been drawn to the root of what Bauhaus is, but earlier in my design journey I just didn't know what to call it. Doing more research into the history of Bauhaus artists and architects, their use of geometry, clean lines, and abstraction felt like a perfect alignment with my own desire for simplicity in design. At that time, I was trying to find my voice as a designer, and the principles of Bauhaus offered this grounding influence. It’s not just about the shapes or colors — it’s the mentality of approaching design with intention. It's undeniable that my love for Bauhaus deepened with my work with USM Modular Furniture. Being able to create a collection that is built on clean, modular components yet being oddly expressive forced me to dig deeper on how we interact with these items in our spaces.
How does it influence your work?
Bauhaus shows up in my work through the emphasis on structure and simplicity, while still leaving room for an emotional connection to the piece. I think what's beautiful about clean lines in general is the way they act as a foundation for almost any accent. Even with my more organic shapes, such as the Flora collection, the beauty lies in the juxtaposition, which would not exist without linearity. I also think it pushes me to consider materials in a fresh way — how different textures and finishes can complement each other in a seamless, yet striking way. Bauhaus taught me to respect the materials I work with, to focus on craft, and to always think about how the piece will live with the person wearing it. It’s all about creating something timeless, yet forward-thinking.
Ante Pijaca, Cherry Cargo, a vintage furniture dealer specializing in sourcing mid-century pieces.
How did you first come across the Bauhaus? What does it mean to you?
Being based in Croatia, we feel an almost tangible closeness to Bauhaus’s birthplace in Weimar and Dessau. Our local furniture industry, of which not much is left, was heavily influenced by the Bauhaus movement — even the unique Yugoslavian design of our region carries this unmistakable Bauhaus spirit — a blend of simplicity, practicality, and daring innovation. Unlike with some other periods or design movements, little context is needed to understand the greatness and appreciate the thought that went into every output the school produced.
Maybe this is the reason why, after a century, we are yet another generation that identifies Bauhaus with modernity and future. It’s fascinating to realize that design can so naturally inspire us to question how we live — if the political climate allows it. It took us thousands of years to question a four-legged chair. What other aspects of everyday life are we taking for granted in the same way? In our warehouse, we are surrounded by about 1,000 chairs, each of which is, in some way, inspired by the school’s legacy. Looking at them constantly makes it clear: the design makes the chairs speak to us, talking about the imagined future, invoking a specific state of mind. We see chairs as time capsules — designers’ manifestos of happiness.
How does the Bauhaus influence your business?
Bauhaus masters equated the designer and the manufacturer, thereby establishing their main principle: form follows function. This same principle has imposed itself as the foundation of our curation — we are always going for high-quality pieces that are fully functional, with a high interest in the product design and hardware solutions. One of the many things we have learned from our buyers is that the quality of production and choice of materials can be equally pleasing as the design. In a way, the same holistic principle is applied to our work in general. All of our team members are familiar with every segment of the job. You cannot source a piece without knowing how it will be restored, as much as you can’t restore a piece without knowing how it will be packaged, etc.
As curators, we’re drawn to simplicity and quality materials, but we also love the character that each piece brings. A chair like the Wassily doesn’t just seat you; it shifts you — as if you suddenly become directed by someone, almost like an actor. You are infused with bravery, given a pinch of arrogance. While you are picking your chair, you are picking the person you want to become. And there is definitely a specific type of character that we are offering.
We are highly focused on making our products accessible worldwide while staying true to our stylistic direction. We achieve this not only by optimizing the complex logistics involved but also by selecting less known pieces and cherishing the overlooked manufacturers who had their take in applying the school’s progressive principles. Here, Bauhaus is exactly that — an endless source of inspiration, whose greatness lies not only in the products created during its brief existence but in its far-reaching influence and diverse interpretations.
Jessica Li, Founder of Greenpoint, Brooklyn design space renewfinds.
What does Bauhaus mean to you?
When I hear "Bauhaus," I'm immediately reminded of a cultivated group filled with creatives and masterminds behind their own identities and unique styles. If we think about it, we're actually living in a Bauhaus-inspired world right now in the 21st century. Food creators, curators, designers, and producers, to name just a few, are part of our modern Bauhaus world. These creators may seem vastly different from one another, but surprisingly, through collaboration, the most beautiful and innovative designs emerge by intertwining their diverse worlds.
What drew you to the Bauhaus?
I first learned about the Bauhaus movement during my time at the Fashion Institute of Technology, studying Interior Design. However, I became particularly drawn to this style when we began our curating journey for renewfinds. We were introduced to a variety of products and styles dating back to the 1960s, and I became fascinated by how each piece had its own individual style and functionality, as intended by the designer.
How does it influence your work?
At Bauhaus, most of the designs became iconic symbols that are recognizable to this day. To name just a few, the Wassily chair, designed by Marcel Breuer, is famous for its steel tube construction. Josef Albers, an abstract painter, is best known for his Homage to the Square series. As an independent brand, renewfinds looks forward to establishing its own design label with a distinct flair that is recognizable simply through our curation and style. Each product and collaboration will be purposefully considered to reflect our identity as a brand.
Ed Be and Jared Blake, Founders of Brooklyn-based design studio and incubator Lichen
What does Bauhaus mean to you?
Bauhaus was founded on a few key principles, but these are the select ideas that correlate with our vision: smart use of resources, a direct relationship between artists and craftsmen, minimalism, and ‘Gesamtkunstwerk.’
We’re a group of individuals who started Lichen with little-to-no knowledge of furniture or design prior to opening our first shop. We simply like what we like. We were always aware that design in America had to be more than just mid-century. We’ve worked diligently to create a new point of view for a way of living by utilizing our love for music, apparel, art, and design: the very essence of Bauhaus. They’re all reliant upon the other.
How did you become interested in the Bauhaus?
When we first started we realized we were introducing items that needed context to justify their price. Education became an important facet of our offering so we ourselves had to pull from history to understand what we were selling — a deeper understanding into each item's “why” . We share a similar spirit to Bauhaus in that we come from different disciplines and backgrounds. A lot of the challenges we come across as a practice are not dissimilar to what building any structure in any time period might face historically. To meet those challenges while creating a “style” is our aim, which is that we’re always curious about the Bauhaus.
How do you incorporate the Bauhaus ethos in your work?
Bauhaus in its rawest form is practicality. We design new products, source second hand and forge partnerships in this way. We live in New York and we know what that entails. It means everything already costs too much. Modularity is key. Storage is key. Fitting your sofa into your next apartment hallway shouldn’t be a daunting task. Yet, it’s still gotta look good and it has to carry its value. A fresh $7 white tee over some $350 pants will have you right every season out of the year. Shouldn’t we strive to furnish and live at home this way also?
