Philippe Starck is one of the most prolific and recognized designers of our time. Born in Paris in 1949, Starck has utilized his natural abilities in design and marketing to build an impressive portfolio of design projects and licensing ventures. Though he never finished school, Philippe Starck obviously learned quickly from his early experience designing nightclub interiors in Paris in the 1970’s. His emerging notoriety led to a job designing one of the apartments of the Elysee Palace in 1982 for President Francois Mitterand.

Thereafter, Starck’s career went into overdrive as he quickly designed stylish interiors for 4 popular boutique hotels: the Mondrian (LA), the Delano (Miami), and the Paramount and Royalton Hotels (NY). Though each project has its own charm, they’re all imbued with Starck’s characteristic style, a mix of whimsical elegance and engaging materials and forms.

Translating this avant-garde style to furniture and housewares, Starck has already achieved icon status with many of his designs, such as the stylized “Juicy Salif” for Alessi and the “Louis Ghost” chair for Kartel. Philippe Starck is particularly known for his unusual combinations that seem to contradict their function. The “Louis Ghost” chair and “La Marie” chair are superb examples of his design concept, both of them elegant seating unexpectedly constructed of crystal-clear polycarbonate.

Despite his fame, Starck’s designs are purposely accessible to the average consumer. Concentrating on designing for the mass-produced market, Philippe Starck has ensured his lasting relevance by creating a variety of unique, stylish products for everyday life. Not stopping at furniture and housewares, Starck continues to expand his design reach to include motorbikes, boats, packaging for a beer company, a mouse for Microsoft, and even a “spaceport” for the new Virgin Galactic! Undoubtedly, we will be living with (and enjoying) Philippe Starck’s designs for decades to come.

FormDecor’s special selection of Philippe Starck designs is available to rent HERE.