Sir Terence Conran is to be granted the highest honour a designer can achieve in the UK when he is appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) at a ceremony to be held later this month.
One of the world's best known designers, restaurateurs and retailers, Conran is among five of the UK's best designers who will receive the honour this month, taking membership of the select band of current RDIs to 133. Previous recipients of the prestigious title include Vivienne Westwood, James Dyson and Jasper Morrison.
Acknowledging the honour, Conran said: "I am very proud to have been appointed a Royal Designer for Industry and that my lifetime in design has been acknowledged in this way. I have spent over fifty years in design, business and retail working to demonstrate the importance of intelligent design not just to the economy but also to the quality of people's lives, which is why I am especially delighted to accept this award recognizing innovation and industry."