Hugo Macdonald
Hugo is a design critic, curator and the co-founder of Bard, a gallery in Edinburgh dedicated to Scottish design and craft. A long-serving member of the Wallpaper* family, he has also been the design editor at Monocle and the brand director at Studioilse, Ilse Crawford's multi-faceted design studio. Today, Hugo wields his pen and opinions for a broad swathe of publications and panels. He has twice curated both the Object section of MIART (the Milan Contemporary Art Fair) and the Harewood House Biennial. He consults as a strategist and writer for clients ranging from Airbnb to Vitra, Ikea to Instagram, Erdem to The Goldsmith's Company. Hugo has this year returned to the Wallpaper* fold to cover the parental leave of Rosa Bertoli as Global Design Director.
Latest articles by Hugo Macdonald
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London Design Festival announces the recipients of the 2024 London Design Medals
This year’s London Design Medals have been awarded to Pat McGrath DBE, Natsai Audrey Chieza, Harry Blakiston Houston and Rei Kawakubo
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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‘You should not take yourself too seriously or you risk becoming boring’: Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini on Homo Faber 2024
As the design and film worlds flocked to Venice at the weekend for Homo Faber and the Venice Film Festival, Wallpaper* sat down in a cool salon with two men in hot demand to take their temperature on craft, interiors and gold leaf cable covers
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First look: Homo Faber’s 3rd edition ‘The Journey of Life’ opens in Venice
We review the groundbreaking new exhibition, art directed by Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini, of more than 800 crafted objects from around the world at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First Look: The Orjola collection of rugs by Nice Projects for Tigmi is a meeting of minds, hands and hearts
A collaboration between Australian sisters and Nepalese weavers celebrates the power of the human hand in a collection of rugs that feel wonderful under foot
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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22 bird houses come home to roost in ‘Dwellings’ at South London Gallery
As a new show opens this weekend in London, exploring the concept of the bird house, we interview one of its curators, Andu Masebo (not via Twitter)
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First Look: Remsen reframes ageing through design. ‘As you age, you should want the things you need’
New brand Remsen is on a mission to shift perspectives on ageing, re-envisioning “geriatric products” as luxury home goods.
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Alain Delon’s forgotten fling with furniture
A giant of French cinema and a man of many talents; as the world mourns Alain Delon, we revisit his 70s furniture collection which showcased a deft talent for design
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Exclusive first look: Knoll brings the mighty Tugendhat Chair back to life
Knoll is reissuing Mies van der Rohe’s Tugendhat Chair, and they took it back home to the Villa Tugendhat in Brno to celebrate its resurrection.
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Exclusive: Lesire collection by Mabeo Studio for Design Within Reach
We interview Botswanan designer Peter Mabeo as his new collection hits Design Within Reach stores across the USA
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Our highlights from the Edinburgh Art Festival as it celebrates its 20th anniversary
X MUSE, Scotland's home-grown young vodka brand, is taking the art world by storm; a perfect partner then for the Edinburgh Art Festival's 20th anniversary.
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First Look: Kelly Wearstler’s ‘Lotura’ collection brings heavy metal to interiors
With a new range of lighting inspired by brutalism, Kelly Wearstler proves that light and weight are beautiful bedfellows
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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The Wallpaper* guide to Edinburgh
As festival season returns to Edinburgh, we task Hugo Macdonald, Wallpaper’s design director and trustworthy local, for his go-to hotspots around the city
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First look: Solange Knowles on designing her new glassware collection, ‘Small Matter: Form Glassware 001’ for Saint Heron
We interview Solange Knowles, who tells us about her desire to democratise good design and its power to elevate mundane gestures into ceremonial moments
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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First look: clay meets paper and textiles in Henry Holland's new collection for Harlequin
Henry Holland, the fashion designer-turned-ceramicist, has teamed up with Harlequin for a range of playful, tactile wallpapers and textiles
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Well hung? We interview Martino Gamper about his new book of (around) 1,000 hooks
Italian maverick designer Martino Gamper doesn't hang around. He has a new book featuring 1,000 hooks made by hand. We ask him how and why...
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Heath Ceramics’ first lighting is inspired by ‘catching fireflies and letting their light shine through your hands’
Heath Ceramics launches its first collection of ceramic lighting, designed by Tung Chiang, director of Heath Clay Studio
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Take off: Mathieu Lehanneur's Olympic Cauldron rises into the Parisian night sky
The Paris 2024 Olympics’ opening ceremony was closed with a soaring cauldron spectacle that will go down in history
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Designing the Olympics: Wallpaper* interviews Joachim Roncin, director of design for Paris 2024
How do you begin to design the Olympics? We pulled up a pew with the director of design for Paris 2024 to learn more about gender-free mascots with a genital likeness and medals made from the Eiffel Tower
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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We remember Kenneth Grange, the British industrial designer, who has died aged 95
Kenneth Grange was a colossus of post-war design. With a career spanning six decades, his mission for improvement touched everything from trains to fountain pens, taxis to toothbrushes
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Maison Bardot sails into port on Antiparos
As the hordes head once again to the Greek Islands to bask on the beaches, Antiparos’ new gallery Maison Bardot offers a welcome dose of shade and culture combined
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Tai Ping’s ‘Biophilic’ carpets are a breath of fresh air underfoot
Tai Ping launches two biophilia-inspired carpet ranges using natural, undyed materials to spectacular, soothing effect
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Molteni&C softens up The Rock in Punta del Este
Molteni&C is masterminding the interior furnishing of a new coastal development in the Uruguayan resort, set to launch in 2026
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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Nendo makes a splash with new designs for Flaminia
Nendo launches two new product families – a countertop washbasin with wings and a tub-like lamp – for Flaminia’s 70th anniversary
By Hugo Macdonald Published
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The Dalmore and Zaha Hadid Architects’ whisky collaboration up for auction
The Dalmore 49 Year Old Luminary No.2 The Rare, a collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects is on auction at Sotheby’s (until 31 May)
By Tianna Williams Published