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Yoko Choy chats to German designer Sebastian Herkner, who established his studio in Offenbach in his native country after he graduated in 2007 from the city\u2019s University of Art and Design. The city is commonly noted for two main things: its weather forecasting centre and its historic leather industry. But now, it is home to one of the design industry\u2019s most sought-after young studios, too. 

Seeing the dismantling of a once-thriving culture of craftsmanship, in which many of his friends\u2019 parents had worked, was a major factor in determining Sebastian\u2019s artistic direction. In an era when new materials and technologies are the Holy Grail for designers, he took a totally different tack, reaching back in time and opting for traditional materials as the medium for his first major commercial product. Shown in Milan\u2019s SaloneSatellite for young designers in 2009, his Bell Table \u2013 with, counterintuitively, a brass top and glass bottom \u2013 gained good reviews but it took him some time to find a producer. When he did, his career took off. He continues to focus on craftsmanship from around the world, visiting and learning from experienced artisans from South America to the Far East and adapting their materials and expertise for the contemporary market. Since then, the studio has produced big hits for international brands such as Agape, & Tradition, Cappellini, ClassiCon, Fritz Hansen, Ligne Roset, Moroso, Wittmann, Zanotta, to name just a few.