British designer and retail magnate Sir Terence Conran died from an unspecified cause at his home in Berkshire, England on September 12th. He was 88.
Conran is arguably best remembered for founding the British furniture retail brand Habitat—the first outpost of which opened in London’s Chelsea neighborhood in 1964. After dropping out of the Central School of Art and Design, Conran apprenticed under artist Eduardo Paolozzi. The two went on to establish a furniture, ceramics, and textiles workshop before Conran embarked on a collaboration with late architect Dennis Lennon. His tenure with Lennon steered Conran to begin selling furniture designs in 1952 and to launch his own studio, Conran Design Group. Conran’s varied background informed the dynamic vernacular of Habitat, which popularized the modern continental European style as its footprint blossomed throughout the UK.
The 1970s kicked off Conran’s involvement in the culinary world, beginning with the opening of the restaurant Neal Street in 1970. He went on to found the Conran Restaurant Group in 1990, which operated restaurants, bars, and hotels in London, Paris, New York, and Japan. In 1983, Conran was knighted in 1983 and founded the Design Museum in London’s Butler Wharf six years later.
