Origin Stories

"Every project represents a kind of moment,” says designer Edward Barber, reflecting upon the collection he and partner Jay Osgerby have created since starting up their west London studio together in 1996. “It’s a bit like experiencing different smells or music. Each is very reminiscent of a specific time and place.” The pair—who first met during architecture school at London’s Royal College of Art (and since moved their workspace to the east side of the city)—have filled this book with sketches, process shots, and narratives, illuminating the story behind each finished project. The effect is a well-fleshed-out look behind the scenes of how a product comes to be. It also marks the first time Barber and Osgerby have seen all of their creations in one spot. While they maintain that there isn’t a single piece that sums up their aesthetic, we can do it in a single word—impressive.

The Best of Barber Osgerby: We Pick their Greatest Hits

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  Iris Table

  • Designed by: Barber Osgerby
  • Made by: Established & Sons

  This limited-edition piece for Established & Sons allowed the duo to start their process where it normally ends, with color composition. Precise machinery translated layouts of anodized color chips into the glass-topped coffee table.

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  Tab Light

  • Designed by: Barber Osgerby

  Quite plainly, the sexiest task light you will ever see. The space between the single fold houses the halogen (or LED) bulbs, while the eponymous tab at the base of the shade enables a redirection of rays.

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  Tip Ton Chair

  • Designed by: Barber Osgerby
  • Made by: Vitra

  From start to finish, Tip Ton—made for use in educational environments—saw nearly 100 prototypes before its patented forward tilt was perfected. “We knew what the problems were but weren’t yet aware of the solutions,” says designer Edward Barber.

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  Loop Desk

  • Designed by: Barber Osgerby
  • Made by: Cappellini

  Loop was a table prototype before being produced for London Design in 1997, then picked up by Cappellini and, later, turned into a desk. “When you design that very first piece you have no idea what’s going to happen,” says Barber.