TOM DIXON

Born in Tunisia in 1959. Product designer.

He has a British father and a mother of mixed French and Latvian heritage. Moved to the UK in 1963.
An unconventional designer with a background in animation and club DJing, and a look reminiscent of a rock musician.

Dropped out of Chelsea Art School after six months in 1980. He then made a living as a musician, including as a club DJ and bassist for the punk band Funkapolitan, but taught himself welding techniques after repairing a damaged motorcycle in an accident.
Utilizing his welding skills, he began creating objects and furniture from salvaged scrap found in the city. His work gained popularity among acquaintances, leading him to pursue a career as a furniture designer.

In 1984, he co-founded "Creative Salvage," a design movement that began in London.
Their activities revitalized the stagnant British design scene of the time. Tom Dixon's objects, crafted from scrap metal, were said to generate wealth as if by alchemy.
In the same year, he was discovered by Giulio Cappellini and presented the S Chair, featuring an elegantly curved steel support, from the Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini.

Established his studio "SPACE" in 1991. In 1994, he released the Jack Light for Eurolounge, a floor lamp that could be stacked and used as a stool. The 1990s saw him create numerous playful pieces that explored the potential of plastic.

In 1998, he was appointed Design Head at Habitat, a British interior design store and manufacturer.
He later became Creative Director (currently a consultant for the company) and embarked on a series of new initiatives. In 2000, he oversaw the reissuance of Sori Yanagi's iconic 1960s Elephant Stool. It is famously known that as Habitat's director, he commissioned Dutch designer Tord Boontje to create the romantic lighting installation "Garlands."
In 2000, he was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his contributions to British industry.

Founded "Tom Dixon Ltd" in 2002. As the owner of a manufacturer that released innovative products, including lighting series using unique mirrors and one-of-a-kind art pieces, Tom Dixon established his distinct position.

In 2004, he became Creative Director of Artek, a company founded in 1935 and known for the furniture of Alvar Aalto. It garnered attention as Dixon, who had previously worked with chemical materials, began to engage with natural materials. With fresh, lively ideas at Finland's most renowned furniture manufacturer, he has already breathed new life into Aalto's classic furniture designs with black and white colorways.

In 2006, he undertook his first architectural project in Japan, the Tokyo Hipsters Club, in Aoyama, Tokyo.
Also, as an experiment for new business models, in September of the same year, he arranged 1,000 new chairs in London's Trafalgar Square and gave them away for free. Advertisements were inscribed on the seat of each chair, and anyone who wished could take one home. This was also an experimental project concerning transportation costs and consumer culture.

In recent years, he has participated in Design Miami/Basel, a globally recognized event that bridges design and art. Tom Dixon is a profoundly contemporary designer, born in the post-modern era, who seeks to connect craftsmanship with industrial technology.