Werner Stoff

German architect and designer Werner Stoff (1954-2021) is best known for his Stoff candlestick system. In the mid-1960s, his friend Paul Nagel, owner of a metalworking company, took a backward tumble while skiing in the Alps and used his hand to break his fall leaving an imprint of three small finger holes in the snow, which Nagel immediately envisioned as a candle holder. Nagel turned to Stoff to bring this vision to life for his company. Stoff designed the now iconic modular STOFF Nagel system, which combines stacking modules to create elaborate and elegant structures. The story of how it came to be illustrates the serendipitous nature of creativity.