Marc Newson. Works 84-24

Marc Newson is considered one of the most influential designers of his generation and has played a leading role in the design of highly acclaimed products for the world’s most prestigious brands. »Marc Newson. Works 84-24«, published by Taschen, is an encyclopaedic overview of the work of the exceptional designer, from his first works at art school to previously unseen designs and planned projects.

It rarely happens that a creative vein swells into a river of inspiration, but in the case of Sydney-born designer Marc Newson, one could even speak of a torrential river. He has already put his signature on a wide variety of areas—from furniture, luxury goods and technology to ship, automotive and aviation design.

An update of Newson’s first monograph from 2012, the recently published book »Marc Newson. Works 84-24« gives his work of the last 40 years a worthy setting. In collaboration with Alison Castle, the large-format, 496-page, five kilogram heavy book is dedicated to the detailed documentation of his projects—each is accompanied by visually impressive photos and a detailed text documenting the design and process.

Marc Newson studied fine arts at the University of Sydney and began his career making furniture and timepieces in a workshop in the Australian metropolis. His first designs include the Super Guppy Lamp (1987), Pod of Drawers (1987) and the Embryo Chair, the latter of which has been in production since its creation in 1988.

In his monograph, the Embryo Chair is described as an important breakthrough in terms of style, as it defined a distinctive style for the first time, which brought Newson a lot of press and recognition. »So many qualities of that chair laid down the DNA for much of what I was to do after that. It’s probably one of the most recognizable things that I’ve done and one of«, explains Newson.

At the age of 25, Newson designed the Lockheed Lounge (1988), a riveted aluminum chaise longue that has become one of the most iconic pieces of contemporary design. Little did he know—some 30 years later, it would achieve four world record prices at auction for a work by a living designer.

His other clients include well-known companies such as Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Hermès, Nike, Dom Pérignon, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Ferrari, to name but a few.

In 2015, he designed a pen for Montblanc—the Montblanc M—which, according to Newson, should be simple, iconic, super functional, easy to use and unpretentious. According to him, Montblanc is a masculine brand that primarily appeals to men. He took this as an opportunity to introduce a refreshing, modern, gender-neutral product to their range.

The extent of Newson’s thinking and work is illustrated by the leap to his appointment as Creative Director of Australia’s national airline Qantas Airways (2005-2015). Not only is he responsible for the design of the Qantas Airport Lounges, he also took over the entire interior design of the A380 in 2008 and finally the A330 in 2014.

His comprehensive monograph »Marc Newson. Works 84-24« is a testament to his ability to think precisely and flexibly on any scale—from pen to car to airplane—and reading it suggests an inherent, never-ending well of creation that allows Newson to flow effortlessly to different shores as a designer. [DM]