It was in 1982 that he arrived on the international stage with his fabulous interior designs for Francois Mitterand’s private apartments. But it was his iconic Juicy Salif which made Philippe Starck into a household name. While squeezing lemon over squid in a restaurant, Starck fused the two in a sketch – and a legend was born. Exhibited all over the world, adorning the covers of design textbooks, Starck has said of the J S that it was “not meant to squeeze lemons, but start conversations.”

His work has an immediate potency that mellows with reflection into different intellectual layers. He can be playful and even mischievous, but there is always a serious side too. One of his more recent designs is for a 400 Euro personal power-generating windmill – made from polycarbonate, and an heroic attempt to infuse ecology with style.

There are still surprises to come from Starck. Check out his Louis Ghost Chair or the wickedly subversive Kartell Napoleon Gnome Stool. Starck is a treasure: you don’t buy his stuff; you collect it. Close.