Vesper chandelier by Lee Broom
Photo Luke Hayes
Lee Broom is one of the UK’s most dynamic design talents, known for his ability to turn everyday objects into statements of luxury and wonder. After an acting career as a child, studying fashion at Central Saint Martins in London and working with the legendary Vivienne Westwood, he transitioned to design, founding his eponymous brand in 2007. He brings a couture sensibility to the world of furniture, lighting and interiors, blending classic styles with contemporary twists, which have earned him over 30 awards, including the British Designer of the Year and The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. His work is showcased globally, with flagship showrooms in London and New York, and his products are featured in over 250 stores across 50 countries. Notable collaborations include projects with Christian Louboutin, Mulberry, Bergdorf Goodman and Wedgwood, where he reimagined traditional Jasperware ceramics for a modern audience. His poetic pieces, such as the Crystal Bulb and Eclipse lighting collections – objects that are as much about storytelling as they are about function – exemplify his commitment to craftsmanship and innovation, solidifying his status as a leading figure in contemporary design. He discusses his approach to materials and crafts.
Tell me about your creative process each time you take on a new design project. How do you start and what aspect do you start with? What comes first: material exploration, form, function?
My design process always begins with lots of sketching and collating inspirational images. I’m never without my sketchbook and have a library of designs that I develop later with my design and production teams. Every aspect and development stage of creating a product gives me the opportunity to evolve. We’re always experimenting with new materials and new styles in the studio, which also makes it exciting for people who like my work – they never know what to expect next.
Are there any materials or manufacturing processes you favor in particular?
I am drawn to materials that have a classic quality. I appreciate cutting-edge products that explore innovation. However, for me, there has to be an essence of classism in there. I do believe it’s one of the things that makes my pieces popular. This sense of classism evokes a sense of familiarity and people can relate to things they feel they have seen before, but not quite in that way. For my work, there is often a sprinkling of the past, or a heavy dose, depending what mood I am in, and the materiality is so important.
Fulcrum candlesticks in solid travertine by Lee Broom
Photo Stephen Kent Johnson + Michael Reynolds
What do you like about British traditional crafts and working closely with artisans in the making of your furniture?
There are still some wonderful, traditional craftspeople working in specialist fields. As a designer, it gives me great pleasure to think that by working with these artisans, I am helping preserve their skills and knowledge. I think it is important for designers at some point in their careers to collaborate with craftspeople, as this type of handmade manufacturing gives you the fundamentals of making.
When we start working with a material we haven’t worked with before, there is naturally a naivety in the techniques of how things are produced. With this naivety can come great ideas, but it can be very challenging for the craftspeople. However, we still have plenty of knowledge in production and product development across many different mediums, so as a team, we use this to help push the artisans out of their comfort zones to ultimately produce something they have never produced before. In turn, we learn the craft and it becomes a very fulfilling partnership.
Why did you decide to launch your own eponymous line of furniture, lighting and accessories, and who are the craftsmen you work with to manufacture them? Are all of the pieces made in the UK?
I decided to launch my brand because I love designing furniture and lighting, and designing for my own brand gives me complete creative freedom and control. This is something that you don’t get when designing for another brand and fitting someone else’s esthetic, so I’ve been very lucky in that sense. All my products are made in the UK.
We create products in a wide range of materials with the latest technology, most of which are still handmade. Our marble is produced in Carrara in Italy, and we regularly visit the quarry to choose the marble ourselves. All of our crystal is made in the Czech Republic, as this is where you find the best quality for this material, and our hand-blown glass accessories and lighting are produced in Poland.
What kind of customers are your products targeted at?
Our customers range from architects and interior designers who are choosing products for hospitality and residential projects around the world to consumers who are buying pieces for their own homes.
Tell me about the Lee Broom factory in East London and what you are able to achieve and produce in-house versus working with an external manufacturer. What do you like about self-producing versus working with well-known furniture brands?
Producing our products in-house gives us much more freedom and control of production, timing and design capabilities, and I love the ability it gives us to personally ensure every part of the design process is efficient, sustainable and on the right track. I do also enjoy working with other companies, as everyone has such unique design and manufacturing processes that definitely inform my own. I’ve collaborated with several different brands in different sectors, from Rémy Martin and Wedgwood to Christian Louboutin.
