James Irvine (designer)

James Irvine RDI (17 July 1958 London, England– 18 February 2013 Milan, Italy) was a British industrial designer who created furniture and product designs for many well known companies and brands such as Artemide, B&B Italia, Cappellini, Foscarini, Ikea, Magis, Muji, Thonet, and WMF.

He subsequently earned a master's degree from the Royal College of Art, and then moved to Milan to work for Olivetti in 1984.

He is survived by his wife, designer Maria Laura Rossiello Irvine, and two sons Giacomo and Giorgio.

Fritz Hansen: Created furniture pieces that balanced comfort with sleek, contemporary lines.

Irvine also served as creative director for Thonet from 2007 until his passing, where he redefined the company’s design language while honoring its legacy of bentwood furniture.