Karim Rashid

b. 1960

Both Egyptian and British, Rashid was raised in England and Canada. He studied industrial design at the Carleton University in Ottawa in 1982, and continued his graduate studies in Italy under the mentorship of Ettore Sottsass. He opened his own studio in 1993 in New York, and has attracted a wide variety of clients, from Issey Miyake, Tommy Hilfiger, Sony, Zanotta, to Citibank. His design aesthetic is purely contemporary, combining organic, sensual shapes with technologically advanced materials and production techniques. Rashid has held several teaching positions as well, including the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pratt, RISD, and the Ontario College of Art.