Marc Newson is Apple's latest hire in its ever-growing hall-of-fame
One of Steve Jobs’ priorities was to be in absolute control of his products.
Apple is not only a manufacturer of consumer electronics, It’s a software company, It’s a design company, It’s a powerhouse, which prides itself with the right to display the Apple Logo, on everything it creates.
Jobs had a vision that was clear to anyone, whether they worked with him, or purchased his brand. As Jobs worked tirelessly on his pursuit for perfection, Tim Cook is still very busy running a company, now in need of a substitute to Steve Jobs, someone, or better yet, a team of people with an extraordinary insight into style, performance, class, and perfectionism.
On Friday, the company has announced, in an interview with Vanity Fair, of having hired Marc Newson, in a very telling move, set to create a next-level enhancement in the design of future Apple products.
Australian-born, and world renowned, industrial designer Marc Newson became best friend with Apple’s vice president of design, Jonathan Ive, ever since they met in Japan, back in 2012. At the time Ive described Newson’s work as:
“often imitated, but what other designers seldom imitate is his preoccupation with materials and processes. You have to start with an understanding of the material. Often your innovation is just coming up with a new way to use material.”
Two years later, Marc Newson’s obsession with materials and processes, consistently demonstrated through his work with Lockheed Martin, Ford, Quantas, Pentax and French cookware company Tefal, among some of the most notable, becomes Apple’s highly sought asset, breathing new life into the former company’s motto: “Think Different”.
Newson will be part of Jonathan Ive’s design team, while still based in England, where he currently resides. Newson’s contract will allow him to pursue other projects alongside working with Apple, a smart move that could be interpreted as Apple’s way of creating the ideal conditions for a long term relationship with the designer, and a clear indication of his value to the company.
Apple has declined to comment on whether Newson will be, or already is involved in any of the upcoming products waiting to be revealed, such as the iPhone 6 and the iWatch/iTime.
Apple’s hiring trend has been very focused on securing the best assets, from music pioneer Dr. Dre, to Yve Saint Laurent’s Paul Deneve, to former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, in a list that seems to keep growing with notable names.