An internationally recognisable emblem of Switzerland, It’s orbited aboard the space shuttle and become the byword for all things multifunctional. The Swiss Army Knife is an iconic and magnificent example of timeless, functional Design.
The very first Swiss Army Knives appeared during the late 1880s as standard issue to Swiss soldiers. Despite being fairly basic they were still multifunctional with one blade, a screwdriver, a tin opener and an awl. Their prime purpose was to open food tins and aid in the maintenance of rifles.
The first knives were actually German made and it wasn’t until Karl Elsener would wrestle away the contract in 1891 that manufacturing switched to Switzerland and, some years later, under the Victorinox name.
The Swiss Army Knife began to soar in popularity after WWII when US soldiers brought them home upon their return from Europe. At this point, the production had been split between two companies, Victorinox and Wengen, since 1908. An agreement saw Victorinox label their knives ‘The Original Swiss Army Knife’ and Wengen as ‘The Genuine Swiss Army Knife’. It was an agreement that would stand for over 100 years until an event that would forever change the world occurred on September 11, 2001.
As a result of the terrible events that day, security measures in the airline industry effectively banned the carrying or purchase of knives at airports and on planes – a move that was to have a devastating effect on Wengen, the smaller of the two brands. Victorinox agreed on a buy-out that would ensure the company remained Swiss-owned.
In 2014 production of all genuine Swiss Army Knives came back under the Victorinox banner and with an ever-increasing range that caters for specialist professionals through to the humble Scout, it’s a working icon for great design.
