Terence Conran: My Life in Design

Discovering how amazing Sir Terence Conran did change British people's life in last half century. Easy to follow with many photographs.

The first thing you notice is the striking appearance of the book itself, which is encouraging. The second thing may be the fatuous quote on the back: "Britain's taste-maker in chief", which is drivel, and Conran, though tending to pretentiousness at times, does not make this claim. What Conran actually did, which is what the book shows, is to demonstrate to the world at large that good design always existed in the UK, but it needed someone to find it, to encourage more of it, and to bring it to public attention - and he succeeded in all of these aims. Good design in furniture, homeware and fabrics could always be found in all the local independent department stores throughout Britain (our local one is still in business) whose owners worked hard to find it. Habitat was a natural development of this and showed what could be done with talent, scale and money. I can actually remember some of the designs, many of which were reproduced to death (especially chinaware and fabrics) or, as Conran a little pompously writes in the book '...[were] aimed perhaps a bit too much at the main market'. The book is full of illustrations - athough the photographs of the interiors of Habitat are pretty awful, even for the time - with some excellent layouts, as you might expect, and some fine graphics. All aspects of Conran's work are examined, and the chapter 'Architecture and Interiors' is especially interesting - I worked in the City at the time the extensive re-modelling of old, ugly-looking buildings was taking place, and remember the astonishing transformations: it's a pity that imaginative re-modelling is not used more today rather than cutting and pasting. In this chapter, the photographs are really excellent, and bring out the best features of both exteriors and interiors. This is a valuable history of design as perceived (and often conceived) by one man with a big idea, and, even if all you do is sweep through the pictures, much to be recommended.

Beautifully presented well laid out and written book. I chiefly remember Terence Conran as the founder of Habitat. Difficult nowadays when everything is so easy to buy and source via lifestyle magazines and the internet, the paucity of affordable good design available in the early sixties. Habitat burst onto the scene and bowled everyone over with its freshness and quirkiness. I mean duvets - what were they? but you could get them in Habitat and see a demonstration on how to change a duvet cover (I still have problems years later...). the china, lamps, rugs all vibrant and interesting. I remember spending some of my hard earned earnings at my Saturday job as a schoolgirl on a coffee cup and saucer from Habitat feeling it made me very cool and 'with it'. It was pricey for me at the time but I still have it and use to this day some fifty years later so good value! So reading all about the concept of Habitat and its setting up was fascinating and loads of lovely illustrations.And a few months ago I purchased a handbag and tote bag designed by Jasper Conran so the apple obviously doesn't fall far from the tree. A really interesting book and brought back many happy memories

Conran's has been a designer, and highly successful one for 60 odd years. Over that time he has had his fingers in just about every design pie from household furniture and accessories to restaurants and architecture. I was interested in this book, partly out of myown interests in design, but more as my son is just moving in that direction career wise. So an opportunity to learn from the greats...The book is attractively produced and perhaps its greatest value is in the many photographs of Conran's projects. The accompanying text however is disappointing. It is part biography of Conran's professional career, and part description of the evolution of projects. But there is a lack of depth about the thinking behind any designs or their evolution. Some parts are little more than name dropping about the people he worked with (though good to credit those who had a role in his success).So in all an adequate book, but much less interesting than it might have been.

I was really pleased to be offered this book as our family has always been a bit of a Habitat fan. Before the days of Ikea I can remember even as a youngster being fascinated by the Habitat shop that used to be in Coventry. It wasn’t like the normal boring “old people” furniture shops, it was bright and vibrant and it was one of the only shops I didn’t complain about going into as I was being dragged around the town on a Saturday morning!This book brings back some of those memories into really sharp detail for me. I can see the fabrics and some of that fantastic looking furniture in my minds eye as I glance through this fascinating coffee table book.The book is heavy and cloth bound and is a beautiful object. The pictures are fascinating and show some early snaps of Conran in the 50s right through to present day. There’s a lot to take in, but the Habitat years and pictures are my favourite.This would make a wonderful gift for someone who is not only interested in furniture but social history too.Brilliant!