In Conversation

In Conversation

Tom, discussing his approaches to design and our recent book Dixonary. | Tagged

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Port Magazine at our London shop for a conversation with Tom, discussing the merits of being a novice, unorthodox approaches to design and our recent book Dixonary. Click below to watch more and here to order a copy of Dixonary for yourself.

 

Directed by Anthony Austin
Produced by Dan Keefe
Interview by Betty Wood
Lighting and Camera Genki McClure
Sound by Kurt Howard
Edit and Grade by Jack Williams
Music: Call for all Demons by Sun Ra
A Bosh film
 

 

From Port Magazine:

Dixonary, released earlier this summer, charts the evolution of Tom Dixon’s designs over the course of his 30-year career. From failed prototypes to iconic design classics like the Jack Light, and with a refreshing candidness, Dixon reveals the journey behind the designs and the difficulties encountered along the way.

Dixon’s career is characterised by a willingness to experiment, to diversify, and an adaptability that has seen him start out in an economic recession, and weather several more. Whether it’s the music industry where he started, or architecture (where he’s currently setting his sights), Dixon sees his work “through child-like eyes”, driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand the world around him, and make it better through good design. What’s also clear is that, like a child, Dixon is unfazed by the concept of failure as an end – it is simply the step before success. This sense of optimism, which sits against a rugged industrial aesthetic, unifies Dixon’s work and goes some way to accounting for the success he continues to enjoy.

At his Ladbroke Grove headquarters, we sat down with Tom to discuss the evolution of his career, becoming a brand outside of himself, and why the things that “fell apart” are just as important as the designs that made it to the shelf.