Christopher Guy Harrison (3 September 1960 – 19 August 2020) was a British luxury furniture designer. He was the founder and head designer of the international furnishings brand. Originally known for a wide range of decorative mirrors, the Christopher Guy brand grew into a collection of upholstery, chairs, dining tables, sofas, headboards, and office furniture. In 2017, Christopher Guy partnered with rug manufacturer Nourison to create a new line of luxury area rugs.[1] Christopher's signature design includes the patented Chris-X (pronounced kris-krôs) leg design.[2]
Christopher Guy Harrison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 3 September 1960 |
| Died | 19 August 2020 (aged 59) |
| Nationality | British |
| Awards | 2004 – Outstanding Design awarded by the British Interior Design Association 2010 – Certificate of Excellence awarded by HA+D in the loose furniture category 2011 – Design Icon awarded by the World Market Center Las Vegas and Las Vegas Design Center |
Biography
editChristopher Guy Harrison was born in Britain and raised in Spain and France. He drew on his international background to fuse design influences from around the world.[3] In 1993, Christopher formed Harrison & Gil. The company then expanded by offering a complete lifestyle and luxury furniture collection in 2005. It re-launched under the brand name Christopher Guy.[2] In 1999, Christopher designed and built a one million square foot workshop complex in Java to accommodate the 1,400 carvers, woodcarvers and specialist finishers that craft his designs.[2][4] Christopher resided in Singapore where he has his headquarters and travelled around the world particularly to Java and Los Angeles.[3]
Harrison died on 19 August 2020 from lung cancer, at the age of 59.[5]
USA Flagship Design Lounge
editIn October 2009, Guy opened his 2,400-square-foot (220 m2) USA Flagship Design Lounge in Beverly Hills. The lounge, complete with plasma TV's mounted on the walls for interactive viewing, showcases his newest collection of the year.[4]
Design philosophy
editGuy's furniture designs reflect a contemporary mood with Timeless values.[3] His Chris-X leg design is patented across the USA, China and Europe.[2] This design is seen throughout his collections and was inspired by the corseted waistline of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind and the crossed legs of a ballerina.[6] “My aim was to design a chair that was simple, sophisticated and flexible enough to work with a variety of style categories,” said Guy.[2]
Awards
editThe British Interior Design Association awarded Guy the Outstanding Design award in 2004.[2] The World Market Center Las Vegas and Las Vegas Design Center recognize Guy as the 2011 Design Icon on 27 January 2011. The Design Icon award celebrates modern-day design legends and gives them a platform to share their stories and inspire others. Past Design Icon recipients include Juan Montoya, Vicente Wolf, Roger Thomas, Vladimir Kagan, and Larry Laslo.[7] In May 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Otis College of Art and Design.
Past Projects
editHotels
edit- Divan Asia Hotel, Turkey
- St. Clemente Palace, Venice
- The Trump Plaza, New York
- The Savoy, London
- The Beverly Wilshire, California
- The Ritz-Carlton properties
- The Bellagio, Las Vegas
- The Venetian, Las Vegas
- The Curtiss, Buffalo
- Encore, Las VegasFilms:[3][4][8]
- Burj Al Arab Hotel (Al Mahara restaurant), Dubai
- Titanic Deluxe Golf Belek, Turkey
- One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Film
edit- 2010, The Resident
- 2009, Hotel room design The Hangover
- 2006, Casino Royale
- 2006, The Devil Wears Prada
- 2007, Stardust
- 2007, Sleuth
- 2007, Room 1408
- 2007, Ocean’s Thirteen
- 2014, The Interview
- 2015 The Georgian Restaurant Harrods
- 2015, Mall Cop 2
- 2016 , The Aftermath
- 2019, Cold Pursuit
References
edit- ^ "Nourison, Christopher Guy team up for rug line". 18 September 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Harrison & Gil – Crossing innovation with timeless design". Bridge 4 Design pg. 26-27. 5 September 2005.
- ^ a b c d Opus, Scarlet (12 June 2009). "Scarlet Opus Trends Blog". UK Trends Blog. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
- ^ a b c Christy, George (23 October 2009). "George Christy's Pick of the Week: The Chanel of Furniture". Beverly Hills Courier.
- ^ Arora, Roma (20 August 2020). "Designer Christopher Guy Harrison passed away at the age of 59". Design Middle East.
- ^ "Designer Q&A with Christopher Guy". NM Insite blog. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
- ^ "World Market Center to honor Christopher Guy as Design Icon". Furniture Today. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ a b Magner, Erin (17 July 2009). "Storecasting: "Christopher Guy Furniture Sexes Up Beverly Hills"". LA racked. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
- ^ "British designer's line ideal for those who like pretty seats with silhouettes". National Post. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "INTERIOR DESIGNER ARRIVED WITH EIGHT LORRIES FILLED WITH FURNITURE". Sabah English. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
External links
edit