KARIM RASHID

was born in Cairo in 1960 half Egyptian, half English, raised in London and Toronto now practicing in New York. His perspective and clients are global and while considers him more of a cultural provocateur, his projects range from products, interiors, fashion, furniture, lighting, art, music to installations. He received a bachelor of Industrial Design in Canada in 1982 and postgraduate studies in Italy as well as having worked in Milan for Rodolfo Bonetto in 1984. For seven years he was at KAN Industrial Design and co-designed the Babel Fashion Collection for 6 years.

In 1993, he opened his own studio in New York City. His clients include Umbra, Issey Miyake, Prada Nambe, Magis, Mikasa, Edra, Frighetto, Herman Miller, Sony, Foscarini, Artemide, Idée, Bozart, Shiseido, Giorgio Armani, Leonardo, Nienkamper, Yahoo, Zerodisegno, Copco, Georg Jensen, Method, Guzzini, and Danese, among others.

Karim has designed and producedover 2000 products during his career, winning awards including ID Magazine's Annual Design Review 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 for Design Distinction & Best of Category, Bon Apetit's Designer of the Year 2003, 2003 National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers for Best Retail Store Design, 2002 International Interior Design Association Star Award, 2002 Industrial Design Excellence Awards, 2001 Canadian Design Hero Award, 1999 George Nelson Award, Philadelphia Museum of Art Collab Award 1999, Daimler Chrysler Award 1999, Brooklyn Museum of Art Designer Award 1998, 13 Good Design Awards Chicago Athenaeum 1995-2003; 20 Canadian Virtu Awards from 1986-2002, among others. Karim's works are in the permanent collections of 14 Museums and has over 70 objects in permanent collections. He is published internationally. He exhibits art at Sandra Gering Gallery, Elga Wimmer Gallery, and Deitch Projects in New York. Karim was also a full-time associate Professor in Industrial Design for 10 years, writes for various design publications, and lectures globally. His monograph is 'I Want to Change the World' (Rizzoli, 2001). He edited the International Design Yearbook 18 for Calmann and King 2003 and released two CD's available on Seattle boutique label, Neverstop. He has a small mini series book just released onChronicle books, SF 2004 and he is releasing a second monograph called Evolution in fall 2004 (Rizzoli).