Page 31 - RLI March 2019

INNOVATION ON A

GLOBAL SCALE

Tom Dixon is a restless innovator who works

predominantly in lighting, accessories and furniture,
who founded his own eponymous brand which is
the platform for a series of new adventures in the

design of products and interiors. Here, RLI speak
with company CEO Alessandro Vergano about the

brand and what the coming months have in-store.

ALL pHOTOS fROm THE COAL OffICE
London, UK

aunched in 2002, the Tom Dixon brand is now a amidst a merging collection of commercial, residential and Looking forward, the company is proud to announce “People always want extraordinary things and essentially
widely celebrated global force in interior design lifestyle spaces. that its joint venture in China will be a 360-degree business great design of beautiful but useful objects that always appeal.
with its own hubs in New York, Hong Kong, London “The scheme engages the consumers and design community model offering a mix of direct to consumer through both We have a very strong visual heritage which supports the
Land Tokyo. Its 600 strong product range varies from in what is possible when considering the regeneration of physical and digital retail, wholesale through strategic outlets launch and lifespan of all our products.”
lighting to furniture, from tableware through to fragrance and space,” explains Vergano. “The complexity of the Coal Office and partners and the introduction of its contract, trade and So why does Alessandro feel that customers remain so
is distributed in more than 100 countries across five continents. building structure meant approaching the requirements of a Design Studio businesses. loyal and what differentiates
“The business has seen many significant changes in the commercial office, restaurant and retail shop in a very different Along with this, Tom Dixon also has strong growth Tom Dixon from its peers? “PeoPle always want extraordinary
last year, from a positive change to the leadership team way, which was really an exciting project.” projections in the Middle East and Africa, Eastern Europe, “Tom’s iconic furniture is things and essentially great design
through to improvements in the supply chain, systems and The result was something that is authentic but uses Central Asia and the Americas. collected by museums all over the
integrations but more importantly the product architecture,” the structure as an integral part of the visual and physical “All of these markets excite us both in terms of the world and the pieces transcend of beautiful but useful objects
says Tom Dixon CEO Alessandro Vergano. experience. There is a communal working space encompassed opportunities the regions offer and the further distribution the everyday mundane of say a that always aPPeal. we have a
In recent months the company has found that digital is within a physical journey through the building for consumers of the brand thus increasing the brand reach and overall chair or drinking glass by being
the best way to reach new and larger audiences, and they where they can see the ‘engine room’ of the Tom Dixon brand recognition,” says Vergano. interesting, unique and beautifully very strong visual heritage which
have invested more in the consumer experience due to a as well as the restaurant and its kitchen. For new products and initiatives, imperative for a global made. Our individual pieces and suPPorts the launch and lifesPan
more than 50 per cent growth in online sales. Digital is also In addition to this, in May the company relocated its New brand like Tom Dixon, the product design process still ranges are put together with a
helping the brand support the overall growth of the business York store to Greene Street in Soho where they now have starts in-house, where the product designers are guided by purpose in mind, not just how of all our Products.”
through not only its own directly managed channels, but with a more useable space with great adjacencies. “Both of these Tom and work across all categories to bring exciting and they look and this helps us stand
all of its partners and stockists as well. locations are starting to mature, and we see them more as unique products to life. The product team has a functioning out,” says Vergano. “Tom’s tireless energy and enthusiasm for
Back in April, the Tom Dixon company launched The Coal hubs where our entire brand can be touched in a mixture of workshop which allows them to push the boundaries of making things and surrounding himself with world class people to
Office in London. The original industrial and derelict buildings sight, sound and smells and a wider audience has access to design, materiality and function before they even take the deliver his vision and the products in exciting and ever improving
have been renovated and repurposed and are now nestled the physical spaces we create,” says Vergano. designs to manufacturers. ways,” he concludes.

30 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2019 MARCH 2019 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 31