Sebastian Bergne
designer (1966)
Sebastian Bergne is a British industrial designer born in Tehran in 1966. He studied at the Royal College of Art in London, where he earned a Master's degree in 1990. After stints at the Simpson-Bell studio in Hong Kong (1986) and the van Onck studio in Milan (1987), he opened his own studio, "Bergne: design for manufacture."
Bergne's career is characterized by a remarkable capacity for innovation, stemming from a personal approach that combines cultural references, humor, functional appreciation, and a careful relationship with materials and production technologies.
Sebastian Bergne is known for making everyday objects special with his essential and human approach to design.
Bergne's versatility allows him and his team to work in a variety of ways: as an external industrial design firm for international brands, as a designer and supplier of bespoke objects for restaurants, retailers, and individuals, or even as a manufacturer of his growing collection of personal editions.
Bergne has worked across a variety of sectors and collaborated with numerous internationally renowned companies, including Authentics, Driade, Oluce, Procter & Gamble, Vitra, Wireworks, Tefal, MUJI, Habitat, De Beers, Luceplan, Moulinex, and Gaia. His work encompasses industrial product design, art direction, and the creation of limited editions and bespoke objects for private clients, restaurants, and retailers.
Among his most recognized creations is the "personal edition Landscape," a collection of 12 handcrafted polymer plastic boxes. His work has been widely published, exhibited in prestigious museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Design Museum in London, and has received several international awards.
Professionaly, Bergne has built a diversified business model that includes royalties from designed products, fixed fees for projects, teaching and presentations, and sales of his limited editions. This mix allows him financial stability and a variety of creative endeavors.
Bergne's major projects include:
Lampa Lid (1998) - Designed for Oluce; received the Prix d’Excellence Marie Claire Maison in 1999.
Lampa Poise (2018) - Designed inspired by Noguchi's work for the “Akari Unfolded” exhibition at the Noguchi Museum in New York.
Fixpencil Redesign (year unspecified) - A reinterpretation of the classic draftsman's tool, known for its simplicity and innovation.
Collaborations with Luceplan (2000s and beyond) - Various innovative lamps and lighting systems.
Projects for Driade (various years) - Furniture and accessories design.
Collaboration with Tolix - Seating and furniture design.
Design for Serralunga - Outdoor furniture projects.
Collaboration with Slide - Designer furniture.
Projects for Pierre Frey (recent) - Designer fabrics and upholstery.
Project Point Two Five (2024) - Installation at the London Design Festival.
