The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2021 holders

Innovation of materials and creativity remain at the forefront of British design as 27 outstanding submissions from three categories are to be awarded the coveted Design Guild Mark in 2021. The Design Guild Mark is awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, to drive excellence and raise the profile of British design and innovation.  It recognises the highest standards in the design of furnishings in volume production across three categories – Furniture, 2D Design and, new for the 2020/2021 intake, Lighting Design. The award is open to designers working in Britain or British designers working abroad.

Each distinct category has its own jury of renowned design experts who assess the submissions against a series of criteria, including: Are the materials appropriate? Are they from sustainable sources? Does the piece/collection show new thinking? Does it solve a problem?

The winning designers – some newcomers as well as previous holders – will be celebrated at a special awards ceremony on Wednesday 2 June 2021 (1:00pm) via Instagram live.  The awarded designs – representing the domestic and contract markets – will benefit from increased industry and consumer awareness, press and social media coverage, with the designers and companies behind them also receiving enhanced brand recognition.

In addition to honouring the winners, the ceremony will include the announcement of winners of the Jonathan Hindle Prize. This additional award is presented to the most outstanding of the year’s Design Guild Mark awarded pieces and each recipient will receive a stunning trophy and a cash prize.

Due to the disruption of coronavirus, all applicants for the last two years were judged virtually via video conferencing, where designers presented their products and answered questions from the distinguished panel of judges.

Rodney McMahon, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, commented: “This year we welcomed the Lighting Design category, with its new panel of judges and we are delighted to have expanded the scope and reach of the Guild Marks by doing so.  The three days of virtual judging were absolutely riveting, and, despite the obvious challenges, we embraced the process and achieved a very balanced and effective result.  Emboldened by this, we shall hold the Awards ceremony on Instagram in June and look forward to connecting to as wide a spectrum of designers, and their admirers, as possible.”

 

FURNITURE

The Kenilworth Collection

Designed by Pierre Greenway for Pierre Greenway                                           DGM 234

 

Fold

Designed by Samuel Wilkinson for The Conran Shop                                        DGM 235

 

Cruz Del Sur x Disegno

Designed by Matteo Fogale for Matteo Fogale Ltd                                           DGM 236

 

Rakino Collection     

Designed by Tim Rundle for Morgan Contract Furniture                                   DGM 237

 

Jethro

Designed by Sarah Kay for SCP Ltd                                                                  DGM 238

 

Smalto Table Collection

Designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Knoll International                DGM 239

 

Ore Tables

Designed by Daniel Schofield for Ercol Furniture Ltd                                        DGM 240

 

Corso Table + Bench

Designed by Dylan Freeth for Ercol Furniture Ltd                                             DGM 241

 

Verso Cabinets

Designed by Dylan Freeth for Ercol Furniture Ltd                                             DGM 242

 

Backer

Designed by Daniel Schofield for Hayche                                                         DGM 243

 

Assembled Collection/Stack and Chamfer

Designed by Paul Crofts for Isomi Ltd                                                               DGM 244

 

Lino Chair

Designed by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin for Herman Miller Ltd                           DGM 245

 

Civic Tables

Designed by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin for Herman Miller Ltd                           DGM 246

 

Folk

Designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for Allermuir                                    DGM 247

 

Kin

Designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for Allermuir                                    DGM 248

 

TO1 Cross Chair

Designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for TAKT                                          DGM 249

 

Chamfer “springleaf” Table

Designed by Ben Fowler for Yonga Mobilya/Marque Furniture                         DGM 250

 

Deco Screens

Designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furniture GmbH                                DGM 251

 

Maya

Designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furnituer GmbH                                DGM 252

 

Pi Stool

Designed by Simon Cass for Par-avion co./Skandium                                      DGM 253

 

Aspect Table  

Designed by Tom Rawlings for William Hands                                                  DGM 254

 

TEXTILES, WALL COVERINGS, SURFACES, CARPETS & FLOOR COVERINGS

 

Identity and Strata Collection

Designed by David Irwin and Rachel Evison for Bute Fabrics                            DGM 255

 

Kit Miles Fabric Wallpaper Collection

Designed by Kit Miles for Kit Miles                                                                   DGM 256

 

Hit the North

Designed by Drew Millward and Charlotte Raffo for The Monkey Puzzle Tree   DGM 257

 

Oceanic

Designed by Jodie Padgett for Camira                                                              DGM 258

 

LIGHTING

 

Introvert Extrovert

Designed by Nathanael Hunt for Haberdashery                                                DGM 259

 

Simple Shade 05

Designed by Naomi Rochowski for Naomi Paul Ltd                                           DGM 260

 

The Design Guild Mark is judged by a panel of leading industry professionals. Each member of the panel is from the furniture, lighting, hospitality, commercial, retail, or media industry. Judges must ensure that each submission meets the criteria of excellence in design, materials, manufacture, and function.

Chaired by Rodney McMahon, this year’s eminent judging panel were:

 

FURNITURE

Joanna Biggs – Director at GA Design

Sarah Bryan – Associate at ID:SR                                  

Elliott Koehler – Creative Director at JPA Design

Jeremy Myerson – Professor of Design/ Royal College of Art           

Tom Pearce – Co-founder of Farrah & Pearce                             

Campbell Thompson – Head of Furniture and Lighting at The Conran Shop

Terence Woodgate – Founder of Terence Woodgate

 

TEXTILES, WALL COVERINGS, SURFACES, CARPETS, & FLOORCOVERINGS

Linzi Coppick – Design Director at Forme UK

Daniel Hopwood – Director at Studio Hopwood

Clare Johnston – Emeritus Professor at the Royal College of Art and Textile Designer for Fashion and Interiors at Royal College of Art

Natasha Marshall – Designer and Founder of Natasha Marshall Limited

Corinne Pringle Director at tp bennett

Peter Thwaites – Design Director at Rapture and Wright

 

LIGHTING

Simon Alderson – Co-founder of twentytwentyone

Tim Rundle – Industrial Designer and Founder of Tim Rundle Design Studio Ltd

Simon Terry – Managing Director at Anglepoise®

John Tree – Designer at Jasper Morrison

Sebastian Wrong – Design Director at Established & Sons

 

All judges with an interest in an entry stood aside when that entry was being considered.

Main image: Oceanic by Camira