According to Time magazine, Rashid is hailed as the "most famous industrial designer in all the Americas" and the "Prince of Plastic" for his innovative work.

[1] He pursued graduate design studies in Naples, Italy, under Ettore Sottsass and then moved to Milan for a year, working at the Rodolfo Bonetto Studio.

Starting in 1984, Rashid worked with KAN Industrial Designers in Canada for 7 years, where he created x-ray equipment and small useful objects, such as a mailbox and a snow shovel.

[13] He is known for designs such as the "Garbo" waste can and "Oh Chair" for home accessories company Umbra,[14][13] a concept store for Giorgio Armani,[citation needed] perfume bottles for Kenzo, bobble water bottle, watches and tableware for Alessi, lighting for Artemide and Martinelli Luce,[15] and products for Veuve Clicquot.

[18] In addition Rashid has designed for Kenzo, Method, Bombay Saffire, Finé Water Japan, Sexy Beast USA, Davidoff, Issey Miyake, Estee Lauder.

[20] While working for Ettore Sottsass, Rashid became dedicated to infusing his pieces with a welcoming "human" quality, finding the majority of industrial designs to be too imposing.

[21] Rashid has discussed his interest in the psychological power of objects and spaces, and often works with color palettes which have emotional significance to him; pink, for example, is a staple in his designs as he believes it "creates a sense of well-being, or energy, or of positive spirit," and lime green is used in kitchens as it is "conducive to dining".

[22] The mid-century modern influence is evident in Rashid's work, though he prefers to embrace the digital world and look toward the future for inspiration.

[citation needed] In 2012, Rashid had a collaboration with artist Terence Koh, for a limited edition of winter coats for the 10th anniversary of the Italian Brand Peuterey.

[6] He met Lang in 1991 while Rashid was briefly teaching as an assistant professor at the Rhode Island School of Design; she was an undergraduate student at the time.