The History Of Iconic Furniture Designer, Robin Day

Robin Day is a British born designer from High Wycombe

. Born in 1916 his parents soon recognised his art skills and enrolled him as a junior at High Wycombe Technical Institute, at which he later won a scholarship to attend High Wycombe School of Art.

After attending High Wycombe, Robin Day then impressively won another scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London. It was the RCA where he met his lifelong partner, Lucienne Conradi who he married after just two years of meeting.

Lucienne was a textile designer and both Robin Day and his wife rose to the top of their professions. Although they both didnt work formally together they very much influenced each others work through discussion and suggestion in their Cheyne Walk Chelsea Studio which they shared together for nearly 50 years.

In 1938 the outbreak of the war didnt leave much opening for Robin Days talent so instead he made models for architects and taught at Beckenham School of Art. It was here that he met, Clive Latimer who was a teacher, together they won the International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

It was this award that motivated him to make his breakthrough in the furniture industry. Robin Day was then invited to design furniture for Hille who specialised in the manufacture of high quality reproduction furniture.

It was in 1951 that Robin Day was commissioned by the Royal Festival Hall to provide them with his polypropylene chairs which at the time were a fantastic invention and unlike anything else provided by the furniture industry at the time.

Since then Robin Day has been a major influence on every day living for homes and businesses worldwide. Robin Day has catered his furniture to the likes of British Overseas Airway Corporation, London Underground, John Lewis, Barbican Centre and many more.

Robin Day has also being responsible for the artwork, brochures, show room design and exhibitions as well as Hille, and he has influenced the likes of TV and radio designs for British electronics company PYE as well as aircraft interiors for British Overseas Airway Corporation and carpet designs for Woodward Grosvenor.

Both Robin Day and his wife Lucienne have become Britains most celebrated design couple for the pure fact that they brought a much-needed dose of glamour to post-war Britain. Due to the couples success in the design industry they were featured on many magazine covers together as well as a Smirnoff vodka advert where they were surrounded by their own designs.

Robin and Lucienne died in 2010, 11 months between each other and their daughter, Paula Day still survives her parents amazing talent.

by: Adrienne Maddison

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