Hartmut Esslinger

Once upon a time, in a design-land not so far away…

The story of Hartmut Esslinger and Frogdesign sounds like a fairy tale. They have been far more successful than most designers ever dream of being. The clientele of Frogdesign, which by now has branches in six countries, reads like a “Who’s Who” of global big business. It includes Apple Computers, Coca Cola, Dell Computers, Deutsche Bank, Disney, Ford, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Kodak, Lufthansa, Microsoft and so many more.

For Sony, Hartmut Esslinger designed the Trinitron television set in 1979. In 1982 Hartmut Esslinger opened a branch in Campbell, California. His work for Apple Computers was the breakthrough for him. In 1982 Hartmut Esslinger designed the snow-white chassis for the Apple Macintosh SE, which redefined computer chassis design. In 1986 Hartmut Esslinger opened a branch in Tokyo.

By now Hartmut Esslinger employes a workforce of over 200. In his designs, Hartmut Esslinger strives to unite functionalist line with an approach that addresses the emotions and is culturally relevant.