Maverick designer Tom Dixon has reached household name status in many parts of the world, an unprecedented position for any contemporary designer, and he is making his first trip to Macau in March.
With numerous awards to his name, including an OBE from Her Majesty The Queen, Tom Dixon set up the Tom Dixon brand in 2002, creatively directing the lighting and furniture brand and also Design Research Studio, the interior design practice within the business, specializing in high concept interiors, large scale installations and architectural design. On March 6, Signum Living Store is hosting an event with the designer. The visit will include an exhibition as well as a forum, where Tom Dixon will share his design approach, company development and product reviews. This will be followed by a Q&A session.
Macau CLOSER: What are the greatest lessons British Heritage can share with the world in terms of design?
Tom Dixon: Stonehenge – rough, primitive, deceptively simple and under-designed! The last twenty years has seen the UK opening up to the world in terms of assimilating huge amounts of influences, culture and populations from all over the globe. It has reinvented itself as a place where art, finance, international food, design, digital, architecture, transport, fashion and business can all overlap and feed each other on an international stage, making a landscape that is unrecognisable to the UK that I grew up in. Having said that, Britishness is still a tough quality to describe… somewhat more honest, a bit more engineered, slightly less conceptual, a touch more rugged than the other nationalities. Whatever it is, we think that there is a re-emergence of it, a new confidence and depth to it that is increasingly recognised worldwide.
You were head of design UK for the Habitat retail chain from 1998 to 2008. What lessons did you take from that experience and incorporate into Tom Dixon Ltd?
Unlike most designers I had no plan, ambition or training to be a designer. I was interested in making things, and it didn’t really matter if that was bread, chairs or bicycles… It was much later that I discovered that some of the things I made had a value and that people were prepared to pay for the objects, and I could turn scrap, rusty metal into gold! Habitat opened up a whole new toy box for me of international manufacturing and craft, retail and shop environments, branding and logistics. I learnt what people really buy, and got to design things that I would never have otherwise been able to, like toys and textiles, cookware and catalogues – even redesigning their logo. Habitat was a conscious decision to get proper grounding in the business. By that time I had gotten involved in design, craft, factory management, design consultancy, marketing, sales and retail – all with no training or funding. Frankly it was unsustainable, and it was time to grow up and create my own company.
During your time at Habitat you travelled to Vietnam, India, China, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, and Thailand, in that role, amongst other places. Where does work travel take you to today?
I go to places all over the world and see great contrasts and opposites, between where the products are made and where they are sold.
Is there anything you didn’t design, but wish you had?
An underwater city, airship, bridge, and motorcycle.
How would you like to be remembered?
I leave that to others! All I know is that I still feel like a beginner. I know that I have only just got started and I have lots of stuff still to do.
TOMDIXON’S PERSPECTIVE IN DESIGN
(Forum and Exhibition)
March 6
Louis Vuitton Art Gallery in One Central.
