Jony Ive, Designer To Knight

Whether you are a fan of Apple or are more firmly entrenched in the camps of Google or Microsoft, nobody can deny the level of design which goes into every Apple product. Design and function have long been the bedfellows of Apples strategy, who maintain that one without the other makes little sense. It is this determined approach to product design and implementation which has given Apple products their highly stylish moniker.

Many people attribute this style direction to the late Steve Jobs and whilst it is true that he was instrumental in the direction of the current product line-up, one man has been behind Apples creative vision for the past 20 years. Jony Ive was commissioned in 1992 by Apple in a consultancy capacity but soon became a full-time employee and has been pivotal in bringing their creative vision to fruition ever since. His move from England, where he was born and raised, has not excluded him from the awards and accolades which England bestows upon the most talented of designers. In 2003 Jony was awarded Designer of the Year Award by the Design Museum, the first time it has ever been awarded. In 2004 he was named “Most Influential Person in British Culture” by the BBC as well as being named the “Most Influential Briton in America” in 2008; the list goes on. Since his move to Cupertino, almost every modern day Apple product you see has been designed by Jony and it is his iconic style which has elevated Apple products from mere technology into works of art.

Jony was recently advanced from his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for his services to the design industry, a truly well deserved honour. We extend our congratulations to him as someone who has inspired us and has shaped the very products we work with.