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.
The Mark 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 via Instagram live.
The winners are:
Furniture
- DGM 234 – The Kenilworth Collection, designed by Pierre Greenway for Pierre Greenway
- DGM 235 – Fold, designed by Samuel Wilkinson for The Conran Shop
- DGM 236 – Cruz Del Sur x Disegno, designed by Matteo Fogale for Matteo Fogale Ltd
- DGM 237 – Rakino Collection, designed by Tim Rundle for Morgan Contract Furniture
- DGM 238 – Jethro, designed by Sarah Kay for SCP Ltd
- DGM 239 – Smalto Table Collection, designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Knoll International
- DGM 240 – Ore Tables, designed by Daniel Schofield for Ercol Furniture Ltd
- DGM 241 – Corso Table + Bench, designed by Dylan Freeth for Ercol Furniture Ltd
- DGM 242 – Verso Cabinets, designed by Dylan Freeth for Ercol Furniture Ltd
- DGM 243 – Backer, designed by Daniel Schofield for Hayche
- DGM 244 – Assembled Collection/Stack and Chamfer, designed by Paul Crofts for Isomi Ltd
- DGM 245 – Lino Chair, designed by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin for Herman Miller Ltd
- DGM 246 – Civic Tables, designed by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin for Herman Miller Ltd
- DGM 247 – Folk, designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for Allermuir
- DGM 248 – Kin, designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for Allermuir
- DGM 249 – TO1 Cross Chair, designed by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for TAKT
- DGM 250 – Chamfer “springleaf” Table, designed by Ben Fowler for Yonga Mobilya/Marque Furniture
- DGM 251 – Deco Screens, designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furniture GmbH
- DGM 252 – Maya, designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furnituer GmbH
- DGM 253 – Pi Stool, designed by Simon Cass for Par-avion co./Skandium
- DGM 254 – Aspect Table, designed by Tom Rawlings for William Hands
Textiles, wall coverings, surfaces, carpets and floor coverings
- DGM 255 – Identity and Strata Collection, designed by David Irwin and Rachel Evison for Bute Fabrics
- DGM 256 – Kit Miles Fabric Wallpaper Collection, designed by Kit Miles for Kit Miles
- DGM 257 – Hit the North, designed by Drew Millward and Charlotte Raffo for The Monkey Puzzle Tree
- DGM 258 – Oceanic, designed by Jodie Padgett for Camira
Lighting
- DGM 259 – Introvert Extrovert, designed by Nathanael Hunt for Haberdashery
- DGM 260 – Simple Shade 05, designed by Naomi Rochowski for Naomi Paul Ltd
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, said: “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.”
The Design Guild Mark judging panels for 2021 were:
Furniture
Joanna Biggs – GA Design
Sarah Bryan – ID:SR
Elliott Koehler – Layer Design
Jeremy Myerson – Royal College of Art
Tom Pearce – Farrah & Pearce
Campbell Thompson – The Conran Shop
Terence Woodgate – Terence Woodgate Design
Lighting Design
Simon Alderson – twentytwentyone
Tim Rundle – Tim Rundle Design Studio
Simon Terry – Anglepoise
John Tree – Jasper Morrison
Sebastian Wrong – Established & Sons
Textiles, Wall Coverings, Surfaces, Carpets and Floor Coverings
Linzi Coppick – Forme UK
Daniel Hopwood – Hopwood Design Studios
Professor Clare Johnson – Royal College Of Art
Natasha Marshall – Natasha Marshall
Corinne Pringle – TP Bennett
Peter Thwaites – Rapture & Wright
