Dezeen Magazine

BDM: Marc Newson and more sign

Marc Newson joins rapidly growing number of supporters for Dezeen's Brexit Design Manifesto

Brexit Design Manifesto: designer Marc Newson and architect Patrik Schumacher are among the leading industry figures to have added their names to the Brexit Design Manifesto since its launch yesterday.

Almost 150 architects, designers, industry figures and students have now signed the manifesto, which outlines the importance of the sector and how it can help the UK thrive post-Brexit.

The manifesto also includes key issues that the government must address to help the sector grow and maintain the UK's status as one of the world-leading centres for design.

Marc Newson signed the manifesto yesterday, shortly after it launched. Patrik Schumacher – who is one of the few architects who has voiced support for Brexit – also added his name to the list of signatories.

Other new additions include designer Faye Toogood, architect David Kohn, stage designer Es Devlin, Wallpaper magazine's editor-at-large Henrietta Thompson, Second Home founder Rohan Silva, and publishers Charlotte and Peter Fiell.

They join leading names including Terence Conran, Richard Rogers, John Pawson, Tom Dixon, Ilse Crawford, Thomas Heatherwick, Deyan Sudjic and Barber and Osgerby on the rapidly growing list of supporters for the manifesto.

It has also been backed by industry body the Design Business Association.

The manifesto is a grass-roots project coordinated and produced by Dezeen. It was created after designers and architects that attended Dezeen's Brexit design summit in June outlined the need for a collective statement about the economic and cultural importance of design to present to the government.

Design and architecture represent a significant portion of the creative industries, which generate almost £10 million per hour for the UK's economy. According to the Design Council, the design economy is responsible for more than 1.1 million jobs across the country.

The manifesto launched yesterday with an event at Somerset House in London as part of the London Design Biennale. Speakers included architect Amanda Levete, designer Paul Pristeman, Robert Mull, head of the School of Architecture and Design at Brighton University, and Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs.

The event was streamed live on Facebook and the video has now been viewed more than 9,000 times.

Watch the video of the Brexit Design Manifesto launch at Somerset House


Dezeen is collecting signatures for the manifesto, before presenting it to the government in October.

Read the full manifesto, see the full list of signatories and find out how to add your name »