Frank Guille

Under a string of brilliant teachers, Frank Guille became part of a new wave of post-war designers responsible for shaping contemporary design in the United Kingdom. Guille had an impressive design foundation having trained under Robin Day and John Cole at the Beckenham School of Art. He then studied Furniture Design at the Royal Academy of Art under the tuition of the highly influential Sir Gordon Russell.

Guille was offered a scholarship and chose to study in Copenhagen, at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. This was under acclaimed architect and designer Kaare Klint who is today considered one of the founders of Danish modern furniture design. On his return to Britain, Guille worked for Wells Coates, the renowned Modernist architect, famous for the Isokon building, a highly progressive block of flats in Hampstead, London.

After two years, Guille set up his own design practice which attracted work from many high profile clients. One commission led Guille to his strongest body of work - Kandya Ltd asked Guille to restyle the 'Jason' chair. The project led to a contract design consultant arrangement for the next twenty years. In addition Guille carried out various roles at the Royal College of Art.

Unfortunately the importance of Guille's elegant design solutions have often been overlooked. His pieces were so visually simple and refined that these aspects belie the intelligence of their creation.