An eye for the slightly quirky, yet timelessly beautiful Some people follow trends, others follow instinct. For Marlene and Helge Mark Waldorf, the husband-and-wife team behind web shop MARK&WALDORF, it has always been about finding products that make them stop in their tracks. Quirky without being childish, timeless rather than trend-driven, their carefully curated collection proves that the best finds are often the ones you never knew you were looking for. By Heidi Kokborg
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Photos: MARK&WALDORF
Long before MARK&WALDORF came to life, Marlene Mark Waldorf spent her career surrounded by consumer products. She worked as a product manager for companies including RICE, BoConcept and Bahne, travelling extensively and helping shape collections for other brands. But after suffering from stress, she reached a point where she wanted something different. “I didn’t feel sorry for myself, it became the beginning of something new. I was tired of creating products for other people. We wanted to create something ourselves,” smiles Marlene Mark Waldorf. Together with her husband, Helge, she started MARK&WALDORF in 2013. Even 16
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Issue 193
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August 2026
the name reflected their desire to keep their options open. Mark comes from Helge’s family name, Waldorf from Marlene’s grandfather, while the ampersand symbolises the partnership between them. They deliberately avoided names including words like home, living or interior. “We wanted the freedom to develop. If one day we decide to sell orange marmalade, we can. The name should not limit us.” Although home accessories remain at the heart of the business, the philosophy has always stayed the same: finding products that are not necessarily available everywhere else but still feel approachable and useful. Following the gut feeling Perhaps the most surprising thing about MARK&WALDORF is how new products are discovered. Many businesses in the industry spend weeks each year visiting international trade fairs. Marlene and Helge have not attended a single one