Design Guild Mark 2017: What the holders think

Pictured: The Keyn Chair Range, designed by forpeople for Herman Miller

The Design Guild Mark is recognised as a major mark of excellence in British design and in 2018 it will celebrate its tenth year.

The prestigious Mark promotes excellence and raises the profile of British design and innovation. The award recognises the highest standards in the design of furniture in volume production by the finest designers working in Britain, or British designers working abroad.

We are now calling for submissions for the Design Guild Mark 2018.
The closing date for applications is 19 January 2018.

To submit your product please visit The Furniture Makers’ Company’s website or click on the following link: http://bit.ly/2yWxQMS and complete the Call for Entries form.

Read on to find out what some of this year’s esteemed holders told us about being awarded the Mark.

DGM 164 ANOTHER COUNTRY

“We appreciate the work of The Furniture Makers’ Company in helping to raise the profile of British design and are delighted to be awarded a Design Guild Mark in recognition of our Series Four collection. With this collection as with all our furniture we endeavour to design furniture that lasts both in terms of the design and construction and greatly value being recognised for our work as furniture designers by an organisation that values quality and sustainable manufacture.”

DGM 165 & DGM 166 NATHALIE DE LEVAL

“It has been a real privilege to work with Benchmark furniture who share my passion for well-designed and beautifully made furniture and their incredible craftsmen on whose skills the success of the Tailor chests of drawers and Holworth chair depend. Being awarded a Design Guild Mark is not only recognition of our hard work but an affirmation of the importance of always striving for excellence.”

DGM 169 & DGM 176 DAVID IRWIN

“The Design Guild Mark award is one of the greatest measures of quality and excellence within the British furniture industry, providing validation of a product’s design integrity and commercial viability. I am delighted to receive this prestigious award from the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, for both the Narin and Tor chair, it’s a great honour.”

DGM 178 THOMAS PEARCE FOR SEBASTIAN CONRAN ASSOCIATES

“It is a huge honour to receive the prestigious Design Guild Mark for the Gifu Workstation in recognition of its design excellence and craftsmanship. The Gifu Collection spans 10 exceptional makers from the province of Japan who have collaborated with Sebastian Conran Associates to develop 40 products within a short timescale. Both designers and manufacturers worked tirelessly to make it happen so we are enormously grateful for the accolade.”

DGM 182 FORPEOPLE FOR HERMAN MILLER

“As a British design company we are incredibly proud to have created the first Herman Miller group of chairs to be entirely conceived and developed outside the USA. To be recognised by the Furniture Makers’ Company and awarded the prestigious Design Guild Mark is the ultimate accolade. The Keyn Chair Group was designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK (as well as in the USA and China) and this award is testament to the quality and dedication of everyone who has played a part in the project.”

DGM 187 MORGAN STUDIO AND STUDIO INTEGRATE

“The Rio table collection pushes the boundaries of 3D printing within a commercial product. Morgan Studio are thrilled to celebrate this award in collaboration with Mehran Gharleghi of studio INTEGRATE. As an extremely experimental approach, it is an honor to receive the prestige of this award for this collection.”

DGM 190 RODNEY KINSMAN

“I am very pleased that the Orbit Mirror has been awarded a Design Guild Mark which celebrates the best of British design. It is a great endorsement for OMK in recognition of our passion for creating high quality, timeless products.”

DGM 189 CHARLIE FOWLER

“It’s wonderful that the No.036 Dining Range has been awarded a Design Guild Mark for excellence in furniture design. I am immensely proud to be part of the British furniture industry and to be recognised by the industry and such a distinguished jury is a great honour.”