UPDATE – congratulations to Lee Broom, recipient of 2011 Brit Designer of the Year award, judged during the recent London Design Festival – a stellar accolade for a rising design star! Catch our profile on Lee in the current issue of Belle

VIDEO INTERVIEW OF LEE BROOM in conversation with DOMINGO ROBLEDO – parts 1 & 3 (we’re working on fixing part 2!)

ORIGINAL POST AUGUST 4, 2011

British designer Lee Broom was destined for the stage, or so he thought prior to winning a fashion design competition and approached one of the judges for an autograph. ¬†Vivienne Westwood responded to the request with her phone number, and the rest, as they say, is design history. Virtually straight from school the chance request lead to becoming a Westwood prot√©g√©, with Lee spending several career-changing years in Vivienne’s studio, prior to Broom attending¬†Central St Martins, Britain’s most prestigious fashion college.

Whilst studying Broom canvassed bars and restaurants re potential to rework their interiors. The commissions rolled in, and teaming with his friend Make Aoki, for five years the MAKI LEE partnership designed a string of high profile bars, restaurants and other projects, including 40 corporate boxes at Wembley Stadium.

After make returned to Japan Lee decided to establish his own brand, launching LEE BROOM in 2007. ¬†As designer, manufacturer and retailer, the Lee Broom studio produces bespoke collections of furniture and interiors. With a distinctive style that nods to the past, upholding traditional crafting techniques to fabricate objects and interior elements, the work is imbued with modernity, reinterpreting familiar forms with contemporary flair – or to quote Lee – ‘more turning a familiar form on it’s head’!

Lee’s commitment to quality remains intact, with all works British designed and British crafted.

We caught up with him In Melbourne last month, when visiting as keynote speaker for a design forum – Domingo Robledo, editor of (inside) magazine, lead a lively, inspiring discussion that reveals the vision, approach and utterly engaging personality of a young British design star on the rise. During his visit TSA was lucky enough to entertain Lee, and we, in turn, were lucky enough to be entertained in return.

IMAGE ABOVE – LEE BROOM at BLUEBIRD, London – featuring NEO NEON, HERITAGE BOY & DECANTER LIGHT Collections.

WATCH VIDEO 1 + 2 + 3 of Lee Broom in discussion with Domingo Robledo (editor of Inside magazine).

Coquine, London – Decanter Lights by Lee Broom

Heritage Boy Collection – Tile Lamps by Lee Broom

Heritage Boy by Lee Broom, released at London Design Festival 2009

Parq Life by Lee Broom for Deadgood, a collaboration that launched at Clerkenwell Design Week, May 2011

Topman, personal shopping suite, London by Lee Broom.

Below is SALON by Lee Broom, set to launch at the London Design Festival late next month. Here is Lee’s description of the collection:

“For my fifth collection at The London Design Festival, I will be launching my debut upholstery collection entitled ‘Salon’.

The collection will consist of six furniture pieces which are a contemporary take on 1930′s upholstery. These will be contrasted and accentuated with modern stud detailing traditionally used in upholstery to hide elements of the manufacturing process. I decided to focus on these faceted metal embellishments to give the collection a chic and edgy look. The finished result is a polished, contemporary furniture range that echoes the iconic designs of luxury fashion accessories and punk rock couture!

Also as part of the London Design Festival, I will be dramatically transforming my Shoreditch studio into an exclusive design Salon where visitors can view the furniture range in a surreal and intimate setting. The collection will launch during The London Design Festival, 20th – 25th September 2011 where all the pieces for Salon will be revealed. Until then, click ‘read full post’ to see other images of the the Salon Arm Chair and Foot stool.”

for more head to LEE BROOM.com / & follow the LEE BROOM blog