Creating desire, from Acne to beauty
Pontus Frankenstein has spent his career exploring what makes people want something: an object, a brand, a place or an experience. In this episode of TheBoldWay, I meet the creative director and co-founder of OBAYATY in Stockholm, inside the historic brick building the brand calls home.
We begin with the creative scene that shaped him. Within the Acne family, designers, filmmakers and musicians worked across disciplines, often without the money to make their ideas happen in conventional ways. Pontus describes the confidence, collaborations and resourcefulness that emerged from that environment, and what he carried into his own practice, Frankenstein Studio.
His work took him through fashion, art, gastronomy and hospitality. He tells me how an unexpected call from a property developer led to five years working on the concept behind Six Senses Ibiza. We discuss how he approaches unfamiliar industries, turns research into a creative vision and brings together people whose expertise goes beyond his own.
That experience eventually led to OBAYATY, the beauty brand he co-founded with his friend, music producer Max Martin. Watching artists prepare to step on stage had prompted a question: how could more men have access to the products and rituals that help people feel confident in their appearance?
Pontus takes me through the answers they developed, from a three-minute routine to refillable packaging designed around the feel, weight and sound of each object. He explains why developing the collection took several years, how promising formulas can fail late in testing, and what the first retail partnerships taught them.
We also discuss the challenge of introducing products that do not fit neatly into a department store’s existing categories. A conversation about creative ambition, changing habits and the work required to turn a vision into something people can use.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
How the Acne creative collective shaped his approach to work.
Why limited resources encouraged unexpected collaborations.
How he approaches a project in an industry he has never worked in.
What developing the concept behind Six Senses Ibiza taught him about building a team.
How his friendship with Max Martin led to OBAYATY.
Why the brand began with men’s habits, concerns and everyday routines.
What several years of formulation, development and testing involved.
How packaging helps communicate the thinking behind a product.
Why creating a new category also means helping retailers understand where it belongs.
How curiosity helps him respond to uncertainty and technological change.