Stories

Explore the world of Tom Dixon – from a bit of history about Tom himself, to all the latest news on products and developments, extraordinary spaces, collaborations and curiosities.
Our Studio Tom Dixon

Our Studio

Established in 2002, Tom Dixon is a British luxury design brand which is represented in 90 countries and employing 100+ people world-wide. Specialising in furniture, lighting and accessories, Tom Dixon has hubs in London, Milan, Hong Kong, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hangzhou.

With an aesthetic that is intrinsically inspired by the brand’s British roots, the products are internationally recognised and appreciated for their pioneering use of materials and techniques.

Founder and eponymous Creative Director Tom Dixon is a restless innovator who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a maverick, untrained designer with a line in welded salvage furniture. While working with the Italian giant Cappellini he designed the widely acclaimed ‘S’ Chair.

In the late 90s Tom became Creative Director at Habitat and rejuvenated the brand while maintaining Terence Conran’s vision of enriching everyday life through simple, modern design. In 2001, Tom was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for his services to British design. In 2014 he was awarded ‘Designer of The Year’ at Maison & Objet, Paris. In 2019, he received a silver medal for Best Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and in the same year, was awarded the prestigious London Design Medal at the British Land Celebration of Design Awards. Tom is one of the industry’s most feted British designers and is internationally heralded as a significantly original talent.

Launched in 2007, Design Research Studio, the design and innovations agency at the heart of Tom Dixon, continue to create extraordinary spaces globally. Recent projects have included reimagining the modern cruise experience for Virgin Voyages on their first ship, reinventing the layout and interior of The Pullman Hotel in Bercy, the iconic Drugstore Brasserie on Les Champs-Elysees, Paris and designing The Manzoni in Milan, Tom Dixon’s first European hub which acts as a restaurant, shop and office all in one. In 2018, the brand relocated its headquarters – Coal Office - to London’s King’s Cross, which was a significant step for the business. Coal Office operates as an office, shop, workshop and restaurant all under one roof and is located in the affluent shopping destination, Coal Drops Yard.

Our interior architecture facility, Design Research Studio, conceives the interiors and exteriors of tomorrow. Rich in narrative, we nurture a fast-growing international portfolio that ranges from hospitality and retail to co–working spaces and monumental complexes.

Visit the DRS website

extraordinary objects for everyday use

Our Studio Materiality

Materiality

From craftsman to designer, in the early years Tom manipulated found objects and industrial materials to create welded salvage furniture.

More than any other metal, copper has the longest and richest historical connection with humans. Our fascination with this semi-precious metal has led to many of our most recognisable lighting and accessory designs.

Some of our brass products have mirror-polished surfaces, others are un-lacquered, hand-beaten and intentionally imperfect. A testament to the flexibility and versatility of the metal.

Tough, hygienic and hardwearing stainless steel is used in demanding environments such as medicine, marine and kitchens for it’s indestructible qualities. We love it because it allows us to make tough and reflective objects that won’t tarnish and have a superior functionality.

Stone is a material that appears again and again in our range of products, favoured for its weight, individual personality and permanence in the face of the modern obsession with fast consumption.

Our Studio Manufacturing

Manufacturing

The Melt pendant is inspired by molten glass, formed by an industrial blow mould and the advanced field of vacuum metallisation.

Best-selling products such as Beat, Melt, S Chair and Wingback are instantly recognisable and have been acquired by the world’s most famous museums including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; MOMA, New York; and the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Latest additions to the brand’s range, such as the Fat chair, Spring lights and Swirl accessories are quickly gaining momentum and reiterate Tom’s status and significance in the design world.

CONTACT DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO

Tel: +44 (0)20 7400 0500

Email: contact@designresearchstudio.net

Visit the DRS Website
Page