If you’ve had your fill of Apple rumors this week and want a piece of news that’s actually been confirmed by the Cupertino company then try this: Renowned industrial designer Marc Newson — who has worked on products as varied as furniture and watches in the past — is now an official Apple employee, working directly under design maestro Jony Ive.
Newson has worked with Apple in the past — he helped Ive design the limited edition (RED) Mac Pro, for example — and the pair have been good friends for years. “Marc is without question one of the most influential designers of this generation,” Ive told Vanity Fair. “He is extraordinarily talented. We are particularly excited to formalize our collaboration as we enjoy working together so much and have found our partnership so effective.”
Related: Jony Ive thinks the iWatch is so super cool it could disrupt the Swiss watch industry
Newson himself was equally enthusiastic: “I’m full of admiration and respect for the extraordinary design work that has been produced by Jony and the team at Apple,” he said. “My close friendship with Jony has not only given me a unique insight into that process, but the opportunity to work together with him and the people that have been responsible. I am enormously proud to join them.”
Rumors abound that Newson has already been involved in the design of the upcoming iWatch; check out some of his timepiece creations to see if you can spot anything Apple might like. Newson’s previous clients include Ford, Nike and Quantas Airways, and his work has been archived by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He currently lives in London but will be making frequent trips to California as part of his new role.
For Apple, it’s another sign that the company is thinking as much about fashion and style as technology these days. The firm hired Burberry boss Angela Ahrendts to oversee its iconic stores in October last year and of course there’s the acquisition of Beats, Dr Dre and all, that was wrapped up at the start of August. Whether Marc Newson will take to the stage next Tuesday to announce the iWatch, we’ll have to wait and see.
[Header image: Financial Times/Flickr]
