Tom Dixon – Designer of Home Furnishings, Lighting and Accessories

Tom Dixon is a British designer known for his work in home furnishings, lighting and accessories. He has received several awards, including an OBE, Designer of the Year at Maison et Objet in Paris, the London Design Medal and a silver medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. His works are displayed in the permanent collections of museums throughout the world.

Tom Dixon is a self-taught designer who came to prominence in the mid-1980s. His first design was the iconic “S” chair for Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini. This product quickly became a hit. The upholstered covering of the ‘S’ was brightly colored, and soon the chair was sold all over the world.

In 2002, Tom Dixon established his own company. As a result, his products are sold in over 65 countries around the world. Since then, his company has developed its own contemporary furniture line. It has also expanded its scope of business into restaurants and hotels. There are now over 100 employees working for Tom Dixon.

Tom Dixon has created a body of work that spans multiple forms and materials, re-working conventional classics and inventing new concepts. He has a philosophy of putting the most out of the materials he uses. Some of his most popular designs include the Jack light, the “S” chair, the Beat series of luminaires, the Royal scent and the Barbecoa.

Tom Dixon was awarded the OBE in 2001. He has also been recognised by a number of design awards, including the British Land Celebration of Design Awards, and has been included in the permanent collections of the V&A, the Pompidou and the Museum of Modern Art.

Although Dixon is best known for his eponymous brand, he has been a creative force for many years. Before founding his own company, he was a bass player in a punk band. Later, he worked as a party organizer. After earning some money from odd jobs, he enrolled at Chelsea School of Art. During his time there, he developed his interest in welding. When he left to study at university, he taught himself the art.

Dixon began a Creative Salvage workshop in 1985. He then opened a retail outlet in Notting Hill. Over the next few years, the workshop developed into a full-scale retail establishment. Several young designers were given the opportunity to display their work in this shop. Eventually, the workshop became Space, a space where young designers could work in a creative environment.

At the age of 25, Tom Dixon started to weld. Using salvaged materials, he began to produce a line of chairs and lamps. These objects are inspired by the gritty backdrops of the industrial landscape. Many of the pieces are made from copper, a material which has been used for thousands of years to provide strength to humans.

Tom Dixon’s ‘S’ Chair is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has been the recipient of a number of awards, including the London Design Medal, the Royal Designer for Industry Award, the OBE and the Design Excellence Award.