Matthew Hilton Studio

People

We visit companies and factories across the world, and we find that design creates its own language – when we’re discussing technical or aesthetic issues it rarely seems to matter what country we’re in or what the local tongue might be.​ Working with people who have decades of experience to try something new can be a big challenge but when those people are excited and engaged it leads to the best results. Understanding the particular idiosyncrasies of the factories and workshops we work with is a fundamental part of how we operate. We need to be aware of and understand what is possible and what is not, what is easy or hard, what takes time or causes difficulties and problems. It is no use designing something without taking these things into consideration.

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Discussing development in our studio space in South London.

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We work closely with product developers to get honest feedback and advice in the development stage.

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Getting input from the crafts people in a factory is vital to getting the best out of a design.

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We need to be able to work with developers whose knowledge and advice can be trusted when communicating from the other side of the world.

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The development of the Trieste range for SCP required multiple trips to eastern European factories in close collaboration with their developers. A task made a lot easier when you have a good rapport.

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The factory kitchen at De La Espada has a great community spirit. Meals are cooked daily and everyone eats lunch together.