Biography
Marc Newson has been described as the most influential designer of his generation. He has worked across a wide range of disciplines, creating everything from furniture and household objects to bicycles and cars, private and commercial aircraft, yachts, various architectural commissions, and signature sculptural pieces for clients across the globe.
Born in Sydney, Newson spent much of his childhood travelling in Europe and Asia. He started experimenting with furniture design as a student and, after graduation, was awarded a grant from the Australian Crafts Council with which he staged his first exhibition - featuring the Lockheed Lounge – a piece that has now, twenty years later, set three consecutive world records at auction.
Newson has lived and worked in Tokyo, Paris, and London where he is now based, and he continues to travel widely. His clients include a broad range of the best known and most prestigious brands in the world - from manufacturing and technology to transportation, fashion and the luxury goods sector. Many of his designs have been a runaway success for his clients and have achieved the status of modern design icons. In addition to his core business, he has also founded and run a number of successful companies, including a fine watch brand and an aerospace design consultancy, and has also held senior management positions at client companies; including currently being the Creative Director of Qantas Airways.
Marc Newson was included in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and has received numerous awards and distinctions. He was appointed The Royal Designer for Industry in the UK, received an honorary doctorate from Sydney University, holds Adjunct Professorships at Sydney College of the Arts and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and most recently was created CBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
His work is present in many major museum collections, including the MoMA in New York, London’s Design Museum and V&A, the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Vitra Design Museum. Having set numerous records at auction, Newson’s work now accounts for almost 25% of the total contemporary design art market.
Newson has been the focus of on-going and intense interest in the media, generating significant editorial value for his clients, and he has been the subject of a number of books and documentary films.
He is married with two children.
Design Awards
2015
GQ Man of the Year Awards: Creative Icon
2014
Good Design Award Australia
Good Design of the Year
Caroma Marc Newson Bathroom Sanitaryware and Tapware Range
Good Design Award Australia
Good Design Selection, Architecture and Interiors Category
Stormtech Slimline Linear Drain 64MND
Design Hall of Fame, Design Institute Australia
For services to Design in Australia
German Design Award 2014 Special Mention
Caroma Marc Newson Bathroom Sanitaryware and Tapware Range
Wallpaper Design Award
Bumper Bed by Marc Newson for Domeau & Pérès
2013
Collab Design Excellence Award 2013
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
China Home Trends Award 2013
Magis Bunky
2012
German Design Award 2013 Gold Prize
Pentax K-01
Red Dot Design Award
Pentax K-01
2011
Lucky Strike Designer Award, Germany
Lifetime Achievement
2010
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Smeg Ovens & Hobs
The Lifetime Achievement Award
The Design Awards, UK
2009
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Qantas A380 First Suite
Australian Design Award,
Australia Standards, Overall Winner,
Qantas A380
Australian Design Award,
Australia Standards, Qantas,
A380 Economy Seat
Conde Nast Traveller Innovation & Design Award,
Aviation,
Qantas A380
Wallpaper Design Award,
Smeg Ovens & Hobs
2008
Man of the Year Award,
for Design, GQ Germany
London Design Medal,
London Design Festival
Skytrax World Airline Award,
Best First Class Lounge,
Qantas, Sydney
Australian International Design Awards,
Furniture Lighting Public Space category,
Qantas First Class Lounge, Sydney
2007
The LEAF International Interior Design Award,
Qantas First Class Lounge, Sydney
Australian Travel Innovator Award,
Travel+Leisure Australia magazine
2006
Designer of the Year Award,
Design Miami/ Basel
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Samsonite Scope luggage range
Red Dot: Best of the Best Design Award,
Samsonite Scope luggage range
2005
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Talby mobile phone
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Zvezdochka shoe
SIFA Awards, Berlin,
G-Star collection
Design & Decoration Awards,
best bathroom product, UK,
Ideal Standard bathroom
Product Innovation Award,
Bathroom & Kitchen Magazine, UK,
Ideal Standard taps
Classic Design Awards,
Homes & Gardens with V & A Museum, UK,
Ideal Standard Newson Basin Mixer
Time Out Awards
NY Reader’s choice, Best New Restaurant Design
The Lever House
L’Observateur du Design award, Paris
a Star for Tefal cookery range
2004
Good Design Award (G Mark),
JIDPO, Japan
Talby mobile phone
ADI Compasso d’Oro Award,
Italy Honourable Mention
Strelka cutlery
2003
Australian Design Award,
Qantas Skybed
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Skybed Business class seat Qantas Airways
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
Ideal Standard Marc Newson bathroom
Elle Decoration Design Awards, UK,
Ideal Standard Newson Bath
2001
The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, USA,
DH1 door handle
Short-listed for the Selfridges Design Award, UK
2000
Compasso D’Oro Award,
X1X Premio, Italy,
ADI for SYGMA coat hook
Design Innovationen 2000,
Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, Germany,
Hemipode “Grande Date” HD 03,1999
Red Dot Design Awards, Germany,
Hemipod Watch “Grande Date” HD03, 1999
1999
Concept Car Design Award,
Tokyo Motor Show,
Ford 021C
Sydney Design Convention Award,
Issue of Australian stamp
Red Dot Design Award: product design, Germany,
Embryo chair
The George Nelson Design Award, USA
1998
Top 50 Designers Award
I.D. Magazines
1993
Prix du créateur de l’année du salon du meuble,
Paris, France
1984
Australian Crafts Council Award
Solo exhibitions
2013–14
Marc Newson: At Home
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
2010
Marc Newson
Gagosian Gallery, New York NY, USA
2008
Marc Newson
Gagosian Gallery, London, UK
2007
Marc Newson
Gagosian Gallery, New York NY, USA
2004–05
Marc Newson
Design Museum, London, UK
2004
Marc Newson
Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands
Kelvin40
Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France
Marc Newson
Galerie Kréo, Paris, France
2003
Marc Newson
Galerie Kréo, Paris, France
2001
Marc Newson: Design Works
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia
2000
Marc Newson
Galerie Kréo, Paris, France
1999
Marc Newson
McLellan Galleries, Glasgow, UK
1997
Marc Newson
Villa de Noailles, Hyères,France
1995
Bucky: de la chimie au design
Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemportain, Paris, France
1994
Wormhole
Internos Bis, Milan, Italy
1993
Raum & Form
Galerie Artificial, Nuremberg, Germany
Marc Newson
Galleria Massimo De Carlo, Milan, Italy
1991
Marc Newson
VIA, Paris, France
Marc Newson
C&Bi Interior, Stockholm, Sweden
1990
Fresh produce by Marc Newson
Gold & Idée, Tokyo, Japan
1988
Works of Marc Newson
Idée, Tokyo, Japan
1986
Seating for six
Roslyn Oxley9, Sydney, Australia
