Rich Brilliant Willing is New York's best representative a new generation of American contemporary industrial design. The trio, which consists of Theo Richardson, Charles Brill, and Alex Williams (see what they did with the name there?) have managed to get several products into industrial production with prestigious manufacturers such as Areaware, SCP, Artecnica and Roll & Hill in just a couple of years since they formed. Coming up in March, too, will be a Rich Brilliant Willing dedicated show at Chicago's discerning design gallery, Volume.
Their success can be put down to sheer determination, attitude and undisputable talent. And although any signature style is hard to put a finger on as yet, Rich Brilliant Willing's products are consistently well considered, and often have a charmingly cobbled together feel - for example their Branch lamps, the Appalacian dining chairs, and their glass lights for Artechnica all very clearly originate from the same studio - and where the three will regularly sit with material samples catalogues, calling in bits and pieces for inspiration and prototyping.
Just a couple years since first setting up, RBW have recently been charged with the design of the Armory Show VIP lounge with Ligne Roset. "It's going to be an amazing installation with snow fence and over 30 different textured & colored fabrics as upholstery," says Richardson. "We also have a new line of pendant lamp shades to be released in spring, and are in the midst of prototyping a new chair."
