Who is he? A self-taught, Australian-born architect and designer known for his futuristic, sexy designs. Newson is one of the most talented designers of his generation and his portfolio includes furniture, lighting, watches, a car, household objects, glassware and even a private jet, the Kelvin 40. His work has appeared in Madonna's videos and in movies including the Austin Powers films. How did he start out? Born in Sydney in 1963, Newson spent his childhood in Europe, Asia and Australia. He graduated from the Sydney College of the Arts in jewellery and sculpture in 1984 and two years later founded the Pod Design Studio, specialising in furniture and clocks, and exhibited his furniture designs for the first time at the Roslyn Oxley gallery in Sydney. Where is he based now? His work is available in major centres around the world. In 1987 he moved to Tokyo, producing furniture for Japanese company Idee; in 1991 he established a studio in Paris, working for Italian manufacturers such as Flos, Cappellini and Moroso. In 1997 he set up a big studio in London and began to tackle more ambitious industrial projects. Today he spends his time in Paris, Milan, London, Los Angeles, Tokyo and La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland. Not surprisingly, he often works on his designs when flying. What is he most famous for? Best-known for his furniture, Newson has also gained recognition for his aircraft interiors, such as for the Falcon 900B private jet, and for his design of a concept car, the 021C, for Ford. Current projects include aircraft interiors and seats for Qantas, luggage and a mobile phone for Japan's KDDI. He has also been commissioned to design a line of clothing for the Australian team competing in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Where can I see his work? For someone so young, he has already had a major retrospective of his work at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, which ran in August 2001. Another show starts at the Groninger Museum in next month and will move to London's Design Museum this year. Curators at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Vitra Design Museum in Berlin and London's Design Museum, among others, have his designs in their permanent collections. For more instant viewing, click on www.marc-newson.com . Who buys his stuff? Hip urbanites who appreciate his sensual, organic designs and witty, tongue-in-cheek approach. Instantly recognisable buys include the Embryo Chair (1988) for idee ( www.idee.co.jp ); the Coast Table and Chair (2002) for Magis ( www.magis.com ) and the Cosmo Cocktail shaker (left) for Alessi (from Arrakis Oggetti, 109 Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2525 5144, www.alessi.it ). Last word from the designer: Newson has a knack of turning banal things, such as a toilet-roll holder or a coat-hanger, into something eye-catching. It's a challenge he enjoys: 'I'd love to be approached to do ordinary things more,' he says.
