School drop-out turned world-famous design guru, Philippe Starck (1949-, French) began doing up Parisien nightclubs in the 1970s. He has since designed top-end hotel interiors, boats and cutlery and is at the forefront of the good green fight.
What is he famous for?
The most famous designer in the world, as he is often called, Starck has a reputation for being a bit quirky. He couldn’t care less what others in his field are doing, is a humanist at heart, and tries, he says, to evoke goodness over outer beauty in his work.
What can I own...
The futuristic Juicy Salif for Alessi (£40.00) ranks in the cannon of great design for transforming the most everyday of objects into something extraordinary. His 18K gold-plated Kalashnikov Gun Lamp for Flos — part of the Guns Collection – is made out of a rifle. 'We get the symbols we deserve,' Starck has said of it (£675 at Nest). His Louis Ghost chair (£145 at Aria) has made polycarbonate waves, bringing plastic furniture to high-end design. He's done everything from televisions to toothbrushes, kettles to knives and suitcases to scooters.
