Product design is the process of identifying market opportunities, clearly defining the problem, developing an appropriate solution to the problem, and testing the solution with real users in the lives of millions of people. Over the years, the world has witnessed many great product designers and innovators. Each of them is different because of their style and philosophy. Here’s a list of the ten most influential product designers of all times who have set new standards in place, leaving a mark behind. Hang in there!
1. Jonathan Ive
Jonathan Ive is one of the most famous designers of all time. He is an architect and product designer from the United Kingdom who, from 1992 to 2019, served as the chief designer of the technology giant Apple and was responsible for overseeing product design, implementation, and interface design. iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and MacBook are Ive’s most iconic designs and play a vital role in shaping Apple’s innovative product line. In addition to working at Apple, Jonathan is also the chancellor of the Royal College of Art in London. On June 27, 2019, Apple announced that Ive would leave the company and announced that he would co-found an independent company called LoveFrom with Apple industrial designer Marc Newson.
2. Karim Rashid
Karim Rashid was born in Cairo, grew up in Canada, knew he wanted to become a designer ever since he was 18. He studied Industrial Design at Carleton University in Ottawa, Italy, and now resides in New York, operating his design firm. His creativity lies in interior design, lighting, fashion, furniture. He is a product designer and interior designer engaged in luxury goods, furniture, lighting, and surface design. Rashid’s designs include Umbra Garbo trash cans, Umbra Oh chairs, Giorgio Armani’s store concept, New York City sewer covers, Kenzo’s perfume bottles, Alessi’s bubble water bottles, clocks, and tableware. His design has always blended different ideas, materials, and styles that break the traditional design rules.
3. James Dyson
James Dyson is a British inventor, product designer, and businessman with a net worth of US $4.5 billion, best known as the founder of Dyson brought innovations in the vacuum and blower industry to a whole new level. James Dyson is responsible for the No Blade air multiplier and the famous AirBlade hand dryer. He is renowned for inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner, and now almost every family can find Dyson products. Dubbed the Steve Jobs of Industrial Design, Over the years, have achieved today’s success using creative services of industrial design.
4. Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, an Iraq-born architect, was the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. Although she was an architect, she was also a successful product designer, incorporating sculptural aesthetics into furniture and accessories to jewelry and shoes. She designed some standout furniture pieces that redefined her vision and her unique design philosophy. Her Avant-garde approach to architectural design can be seen in her product designs as well. She designed many products like carpets, pottery, furniture pieces, and her firm still explores its potential in product design.
5. Frank Lloyd Wright
The most famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright is also one of the successful product designers. He has designed more than 1,000 structures and completed more than 500 projects during his career. His interests were not limited to architecture; he also designed furniture, lighting, art, and flooring. Even today, several designers draw inspiration from the epic, timeless charm of his designs. He was a pioneer, an innovative architect who broke the tradition of the times. Today, his architectural projects and furniture design still enjoy a high reputation in the design world.
6. Achille Castiglioni
One of the most influential Italian designers, Castiglioni, studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano before launching a design firm with his brothers. He was a skilled product designer who designed around 150 goods during his career, including lamps, ashtrays, chairs, switches, cameras, and telephones, in addition to his architectural work. His work has been shown in some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including the MoMA in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Kunstgewerbemuseum Zürich, and the Vitra Museum in Weil-am-Rhein. Achille Castiglioni’s designs have actual purpose and function, which continue to inspire various designers even today!
7. Naoto Fukasawa
Born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1956, graduated from Tama Art University with a major in product design in 1980, Naoto Fukasawa joined Seiko Epson in 1980, responsible for innovative design, and moved to the United States in 1989. He was also involved in developing a design language and design concept for Apple during its early stages. He founded and operated IDEO’s Tokyo office and created a Japanese design consultancy base for the company. His projects cover various fields, from precision electronic equipment to furniture, interior design, and architecture.
8. Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams is a German designer who has been actively working on many design exhibitions around the world. He was greatly influenced by his grandfather, who was a carpenter. Dieter Rams’ work has been widely exhibited worldwide through tours and permanent exhibitions. He is renowned as one of the first designers to strive for environmental friendliness before it became popular. Dieter believes that design can maintain its contribution to environmental protection and maintenance.He believes that great design is innovative, convenient and aesthetic and design should make the product understandable. All these ideas are summed in his famous ’10 principles of good design’, which designers accept worldwide.
9. Philippe Starck
Philippe Starck is a French architect and product designer best recognized for interior design, architecture, home products, furniture, and many more. He has conceived more than 10,000 projects that are not limited to any particular type. His portfolio includes all sizes, from consumer products such as lemon squeezers and furniture juicers to revolutionary hotels, airplanes, rockets, yachts, motorcycles, wind turbines, and electric cars. He describes himself as a modern monk who never retires, who likes to live alone and work by the hour.
10. Marc Newson
Newson was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1963. He has lived and worked in Sydney, Tokyo, and Paris and currently lives in London. His company Marc Newson Limited has been doing business in various fields since 1997 and has been recognized by some of the world’s most prestigious companies. Brands and customers cover all industries, from manufacturing and technology to transportation, fashion, and luxury goods. Newson was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine and has won numerous awards and praise.
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