Celebrated British designer Tom Dixon is a busy man these days — a very busy man. From opening his first permanent store in New York City back in November to designing several new product collections including some commissioned by other major brands, it seems as if Dixon hasn’t had a moment to himself. Yet there’s no sign of burnout: he’s managed to stay on top of his game, churning out consistently original, intriguing and sometimes-cheeky designs that rarely, if ever, disappoint. If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a recap of where he’s recently been and where he’s going.
Multiplex
Back in the fall season, just before the London Design Festival was in full swing, Dixon partnered with print design magazine Wallpaper* on Multiplex, a month-long prototype department store of the future at The Old Selfridges Hotel. A response to the losing battle against online shopping, the installation made over the derelict floor into an alternative retail, event and photographic-studio venue consisting of several departments — such as art, fashion, beauty, technology, home and food — representing 30 brands. The mingled, layered environment, sprinkled with some of Dixon’s furnishings and lighting, intended to offer a multi-sensory shopping experience that a tablet screen could never offer.
Multiplex
Shortly thereafter, Dixon made news on two fronts: he opened his first permanent retail space in New York City, incidentally his first permanent store outside of London, and created new patterns for the Cementiles collection by Italian tile brand Bisazza. The tile family of 12 modular patterns takes cues from London’s built environment and textures, from cracked pavement and brickwork to ducts and pebble-dash surfaces, resulting in a highly graphic series that’s well-suited to walls and floors alike.
Bisazza Cementiles
The new year ushered in two major design fairs and, with them, new works by Dixon. Continuing its Designer Program that was launched in 2013 as a collaborative series, quartz surfacing giant Caesarstone unveiled Ice, the first of four kitchen concepts created for the manufacturer by the British creative.
Ice for Caesarstone at IDS 2016
The installation debuted two weeks ago at the Interior Design Show Toronto, where Dixon was also the IDS16 International Guest of Honor. Ice paid homage of sorts to hosting country Canada or, rather, Canadian ice fishing by presenting sharp geometric forms constructed with Caesarstone quartz to evoke frozen elements in both worktops/counters and complementing stools. Perfect for the icy-cool theme, finishes included Vanilla Noir and Statuario Nuvo, the latter of which was a new color for the American market, exhibited for the first time only a couple of days earlier at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas.
Ice forCaesarstone at IDS 2016
Less than a full week later, Maison et Objet Paris took place, showing off a variety of beautiful furnishings and home accessories, among them, Tom Dixon’s Oil collection. A quick peek at the series reveals his smart naming convention, as the accessories — which include a vase, diffusers and candles — resemble pools of oil or soap bubbles with their striking iridescent hues. Also part of the series is Warp, a trio of mouth-blown bowls and a vase.
Oil collection at Maison et Objet
Coming up on the Dixon trail is Stockholm Design Week, held in the second week of February. His flooring patterns for Danish company Ege will make their debuts there, once again demonstrating his eye for patterns spotted around London. The seven attractive offerings, available in modular tile or woven carpets, range in influence from waves of the River Thames to the tracks of London’s railways. And for Milan’s Salone del Mobile in April, Dixon will complete his second kitchen concept for Caesarstone, Earth.
Dixon’s carpets for Ege will be on display next week in Stockholm.
