Laying The Groundwork

Sisters Annica and Marie Eklund of Bolon share the journey of transforming their family flooring business into a progressive global design empire.

- Kissa Castaneda

One look at Annica and Marie Eklund, and you may be forgiven for thinking they helm a successful fashion label and not a cutting-edge design company. Most family businesses rely on succession and typically the next generation looks to preserve the legacy through careful, calculated moves. But when the Eklund sisters took control of Bolon in 2003, they decided to follow their instincts and take a sharp curve. With a passion for design and a knack for collaboration and branding, they were able to transform their grandfather’s humble rug company into an international design player focused on woven vinyl flooring. Over lunch at the Four Seasons in Milan, they share how they began and their next steps.

Did you always think of joining the family business?

MARIE: I never, ever thought we would join the company. I studied in Florence and wanted to become a fashion designer, while Annica was a professional equestrian—she was the top of her team in Sweden. Back then, Bolon was producing camping carpets. One day, my father asked me to experiment with some flooring designs. I did and it became very successful. That was when I was 23; I’m 50 today.