Nipa Doshi

1971: born in a Gujarati family in Bombay.
1989: At 17 Nipa was offered a place at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, where she specialised in furniture. Nipa graduated from NID in 1994. "Design" unless it was "fashion" or "interior decoration" was still unheard of as a serious career path to follow in India. It was at the market within the walls of the old city of Ahmedabad where Nipa began to explore the link between craft, design and cultural identity.
1994: On a visit to London, Nipa met Jasper Morrison who inspired her to apply for the Maters Degree course in Furniture design at the Royal College of Art.
1995: Nipa was awarded a scholarship for the duration of her course at RCA.
1997: Nipa graduated from the RCA and returned to India to work with crafts people. 
1998: Nipa returned to London and worked for SCP and David Chipperfield. 
 

 Jonathan Levien

1972: Born into an English family in Scotland
1988: At 16 Jonathan left school and went to study cabinet making. Feeling restricted by the traditions of cabinetry, Jonathan decided to study design.
1990: BA design course at Bucks College in High Wycombe.
1995: Royal college of Art MA course in furniture design. Jonathan met Nipa and they became best friends. 
1997: Jonathan works for Ross Lovegrove in London.

Biography Doshi Levien Design Office

2000: Nipa and Jonathan quite their jobs, get married and set up Doshi Levien. A commission from Tom Dixon, creative director of Habitat kick starts their studio.

2001: Nipa and Jonathan write to Tefal following a research trip to India in 2000. They propose a project to design cookware specifically for local food cultures. This project sets the blueprint for their approach as a studio.

2003: FX Design award Tefal Mosaic wins "best furnishing or accessory for residential interiors."

2004: Invited by the Wellcome Trust to create a series of three window installations, communicating the history and current objectives of the Trust to the general public. 

2004: Nipa Doshi gives a presentation on 'Cultural Capital as a resource for innovation in design.' for the Government of India Design Summit, New Delhi. 

2004: British Council exhibition 'Global local. 'Touring exhibition and seminar. Doshi Levien gave a talk on 'cultural identity in industrial design.' Doshi Levien featured alongside a selection of designers whose work applies an international sensibility, developed through research and global travel, to the local context in which they work. 

This exhibition was hosted by the Victoria & Albert museum after completing a tour of India. 

2005: Featured in Interni, United Kingdom of India. 

2005: Experimenta design Biennale, Lisbon. Installation commissioned by the British Council. 'My World" The new subjectivity in design.' This installation tours to Vilnius - Contemporary Arts Centre, Oslo - Norsk Form and London - Design Museum. 

2005: Arts Council of England. Generous award to produce work for the British Council exhibition My World. 

2005: B&B Italia Award to produce work for the British Council Exhibition My World.

2005: Blueprint Magazine. Voted Blueprint Sessions product designer of the year. 

2005: Participation in Materialise Forum. Royal College of Art, London. Perception of materials in industrial design talk. 

2006: Approached by Herman Miller to collaborate on a 'design exploration.'

2006: Franz Meyer Museum, Mexico City. Talk on design and identity in emerging economies.

2006: ArtQuest Intersection talk - approaching collaborative practice.

2006: Talks at Doga Norsk Form, Norway on "The New subjectivity in Design."

2007: Commissioned by Moroso to develop a collection to be made part in India part Italy.

2007: Wallpaper award for Best Breakthrough Design.

www.moroso.it