Philippe Malouin

For Philippe Malouin, process is as important as the final product. "A good way to get an idea off the ground is to try it. As simplistic as it sounds, many people don't bother to explore and experiment as much as they should,” he has said. Experimenting with materials and manufacturing techniques, Malouin creates innovative objects like rugs painstakingly made of Japanese-style chainmail or stools that double as ballpoint pens, tracking their movement across the floor. In 2012, Malouin won the prestigious W Hotels Designers of the Future award for his Daylight lamps, slatted “artificial windows” that appear to produce real daylight and can be arranged like geometric puzzle pieces. The designer lives and works in London, where he runs the Post-Office architecture and industrial design studio specializing in his clean, utilitarian aesthetic.