For Henrik Berg, founder of premium footwear label MORJAS, the magic lies in the details — not just in the shoes, but in the entire brand experience. From a Stockholm apartment stacked with boxes to a flagship store and a newly launched women’s line, Berg shares how frustration became fuel, how timelessness trumps trend, and why good design should always leave a lasting impression.
Ulrika Lindqvist: Can you tell us how long you've been working in accessory design and what originally inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Henrik Berg: MORJAS was launched in 2017 and I worked on it 1.5-2 years before launching so I’ve been in the business for about 10 years.
I’ve always been drawn to the full experience of a brand, not only product design, but the whole spectrum of the brand universe. From visual aesthetics to materials, silhouettes and packaging and so on. To me, it’s important to blend a variety of ingredients that together create a memorable taste.This has been with me since a young age, I've been interested in both aesthetics (furniture, architecture, art, music, style) and business and how the two worlds can interact. The two don'talways overlap naturally, but when they do, it’s really interesting.
My first real career experience came from working at Maria Nila, a beauty brand where I launched the brand globally working as an Export Manager. It was stimulating to work with the full scope of brand building, from product to storytelling to customer experience. Again, the full scope of a brand is something that has remained my core since.
UL: What motivated you to found MORJAS?
HB: I was a frustrated customer. Period. I was a customer of high-quality shoes, but kept running into the same frustrating experience where I didn’t think that the value you received matched the price you paid – from product to brand experience. That disconnect between product and brand, price and service, became a frustration I couldn't shake. MORJAS was born out of that tension. I wanted to create a brand that didn't just deliver great shoes, but gave you the feeling of being taken care of, from start to finish.
UL: Please tell us about the process in creating the SS25 collection.
HB: SS25 is the most extensive collection we've released so far. We've focused more on casual styles this season, including sneakers and boat shoes. Every new season begins with the team sharing product ideas and design proposals. We look at the collection as a whole and ask what's missing, what can be improved, and what adds value. We've always prioritised refining what we have before adding new styles. This year is no exception, with an updated boat shoe, a new deck shoe, and a complete redesign of The Trainer.
UL: Can you walk us through a typical workday?
HB: No day looks the same, which is part of the appeal. We're a team of fourteen, so I stay close to most parts of the business. I hold meetings, sync with different teams, and try to carve out time for creative and strategic work. That could be researching products, outlining a new campaign, or shaping future steps. The energy at the office and the people around me are a big source of inspiration.
UL: How do you view trends in the world of accessories—would you say you follow them, or go
your own way?
HB: We observe trends, but we're not driven by them. Style, to me, is separate from fashion. It lasts longer. The aim is always to create pieces that feel relevant today but still resonate in five or ten years. That's why we spend time refining shapes, silhouettes, and materials over time. We want things to age well.
UL: What is your favourite piece from the collection?
HB: The Penny Loafer will always hold a special place. It was the first shoe we launched back in 2017, and still feels like the anchor of the brand. It's traditional but distinctive, with a balance between Swedish design and Spanish soul. Right now, I've been wearing the new boat shoe in taupe nubuck on repeat. And once summer hits, I'll basically live in The Espadrille and our unlined penny loafers.
UL: What would you say are the three core values of MORJAS?
HB: Deliver WOW. Be kind. Take action. These values shape how we operate, how we treat each other, and how we interact with customers.
UL: How would you describe the MORJAS customer?
HB: Curious, detail-oriented, and quietly confident. They appreciate quality, but they don't need to shout about it. There's a shared mindset among many of them: people who care about the small things, how something feels, how it's made, how it's presented — because those things say something without saying too much.
UL: Please tell us a memorable moment from your journey with MORJAS?
HB: There are honestly too many to mention. The first day I launched will always be a strong memory. I had about 200-250 pair of shoes from floor to ceiling in my small apartment and orders came flooding in and I had not even thought about getting a printer to print the shipping labels. So mywife ran down to the store and bought one and I kept packing like a maniac. We were very lucky to sell out the first batch in the first week which was an overwhelming response.
Another one was when I and my dear friend and photographer Abraham Engelmark got our way into Italy during Covid to portray John Goldberger (AKA Auro Montanari) for his first brand story ever. It was our first major campaign and to date still one of the best we’ve done. When we opened our first flagship store in Stockholm, Casa MORJAS, in 2023 was another big moment. More recently, launching MORJAS Women has been one of the biggest milestones in our journey.
Seeing the response and excitement around it has been incredibly rewarding.
UL: What are your plans for the future for MORJAS?
HB: To continue refining what we've built. That means listening to our customers, evolving with purpose, and staying focused on long-term value. We're not in a rush. The aim is to build something that lasts — something people remember not just for the products, but for the way it made them feel.
