The name Tom Dixon has been on the minds of international design patrons for over 20 years. His innovative approach to furniture, home accessories, lighting, and more has resulted in an array of coveted pieces from his namesake brand—from tables, chairs, and luminary sets to glassware, rugs, and candles.
Self-taught, Dixon is more focused on being a communicator than a designer. “I don’t really act like a designer,” he told Whitewall. “I’m as interested in entrepreneurship—the communication of ideas, the sculpture of an object, the engineering to bring it to market, and the craft involved in the process. Luckily, design allows me to activate all of these disparate threads in my own brand.”
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
This week in Milan at his own showroom—the restaurant and gathering space, The Manzoni, which he opened in 2020—Dixon is presenting his latest collection, Spring/Summer 2025, as well as Fall/Winter 2025. The presentation includes three brand-new lighting suites, new colorways for the 10th anniversary of “MELT,” an expansion of his home collection, and more.
Whitewall spoke with the British designer about his latest pieces, how he feels about the design boom, and where in Italy he likes to visit for unmissable art and design.
A Look at Tom Dixon’s Latest Collections
Tom Dixon, portrait courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
WHITEWALL: The space where you’re presenting your new collection, The Manzoni, is both your showroom and restaurant. Can you tell us a bit about this space, and why you wanted to open it in 2020?
TOM DIXON: We have had it for five years as a solution to how to tackle the constantly evolving craziness of the Milan Salone. After 20 years of doing massive extraordinary events and spending the whole of our yearly marketing budget on five days of installations, we felt it was time to invest in something with a bit more permanence and use it to look after our dealers agents, customers, and press properly. To feed people and slow them down a bit. That’s worked pretty well despite interruptions from Covid.
Courtesy of The Manzoni.
Courtesy of The Manzoni.
WW: This year, you’re presenting items from SS25, the new AW25 collection, and best-sellers from your label overall. Highlights are three brand-new lighting families, “WHIRL,” “SOFT,” and “POSE.” Can you tell us more about the new pieces?
TD: The collection introduces “POSE” Surface Lights and “POSE” Pendants to expand on the existing range of POSE Portable and Task Lights, offering a versatile lighting solution for modern interiors. “POSE” Surface, in particular, meets the growing demand for adaptable lighting in contemporary spaces with lower ceilings, functioning as both a ceiling spotlight and a bedside wall lamp.
For “WHIRL”, we wanted something that had character beyond the pure sphere—beyond just a mirror ball or a globe. It wasn’t an organic pattern like MELT either, but instead offered a third kind of aesthetic within the collection, still playing with refraction and the internal patterns we can achieve through half-metallization.
For “SOFT,” it was important for us to create something that felt less metallic, less sharp-edged, and less technical—we didn’t want it to be dominated by reflective surfaces. So, we chose this ultra-matte spray textile, which was originally developed by the American military. It’s a really clever way of wrapping metal to prevent it from rusting. So, because it’s translucent, it’s quite luminous and provides a soft, warm, pleasing, flattering glow.
Bringing Back Tom Dixon Best-Sellers
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
WW: Some of your best-sellers were “GROOVE” outdoor designs and “POSE” lights. Why do you think these had such a strong commercial debut?
TD: We like to look at everything around design—but not “design” itself. The materials, the engineering, how people behave, manufacturing and technology—art, design, food, and hospitality. Designers should be responding to what’s going on out there, not living in a designer bubble.
Most outdoor furniture is made of steel or wood, so we were adamant about using aluminium—for its superior longevity and also for its lightness. Outdoor furniture should be easy to move around, to stack, and to shift into the sunny spots. That presented a technical challenge: how to rigidise a very thin sheet of aluminium and make the TUBE legs and frame blend as seamlessly as possible.
The “GROOVE” collection felt equally at home in a variety of settings—urban or rural, indoors or outdoors. This chameleon-like quality is often the secret formula behind the success of our most well-known products.
“We like to look at everything around design.”
—Tom Dixon
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
WW: Additionally, “MELT” celebrates its 10th anniversary with new colorways. Why was this a line you wanted to expand on after a decade?
TD: It’s been ten years of mysterious, mesmerizing meltingness in multiple models. We have introduced “MELT” in Smoke and Opal, small MELT, massive MELT, MELT Portable, and MELT Floor Lamp. And just when you thought we had explored every possibility, we’re excited to unveil the latest innovation in this unique light. A truly indoor/outdoor MELT that is perfect for hanging in trees or placing by the pool. And an iridescent dichroic MELT to add another dimension to the psychedelic patterns created through metalization. Last but not least, a bronze MELT, which is a subtle variation on our metallic colour theme.
“It’s been ten years of mysterious, mesmerizing meltingness…”
—Tom Dixon
A New Line of Tom Dixon Accessories
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Courtesy of Tom Dixon.
WW: You’re also expanding your accessories collection, featuring a new textile range and an extension of “SPIN,” and showing a preview of upcoming furniture designs. Can you tell us more?
TD: The new textile range includes “RIDGE” Cushions, “THREAD” Cushions, “THREAD” Throws, and “BAND” Throws. A lot of brands would go for pattern or embellishment. We wanted to do something that’s all about super textures—really chunky, high-quality, rich, and fluffy—creating a contrast to some of our metallics. Textiles are, after all, destined to be soft.
For the first time, colour plays a leading role, introducing a curated palette of subtle, coordinated hues that seamlessly integrate with upholstery and outdoor furniture. We also wanted to follow up with the new SPIN Mini colours and create something for people who don’t have huge tables.
WW: You’ve been a designer for over 20 years. How have you seen the world of design change? People’s appreciation of design over the years?
TD: We see here in Milan the whole world getting interested and investing in the sector. It’s full of Gucci, Range Rover, Samsung, Yves Saint Laurent, Google, and so many other types of food, alcohol, fashion, and art people. It’s also packed with people from all nations—influencers and businesspeople all seeking the latest design sensations. So, there is more attention to the sector.
“We see here in Milan the whole world getting interested…”
—Tom Dixon
Tom Dixon’s Milan Favorites
WW: When you’re in Milan, where do you prefer to spend your time?
TD: I head for Venice, if I can! Or Como or Torino! But for art, I love the Novecento Museum and the Pirelli Foundation. For design, you must be mobile and react to whatever your friends tell you is hot. There are at least 5,000 events, but usually, ALCOVA is good and Capsule as epicentres of new ideas.
