Receive free collecting updates with our myFT Daily Digest email. In the 1990s, Sir Kenneth Grange was the go-to designer for a wide range of products. From alarm clocks to razors, kettles to lighters, Grange’s designs were everywhere. He even designed public transportation and parking meters. Grange played a crucial role in modernizing Britain in a way that few others did. Now 94 and mostly retired, he still enjoys designing for himself. He acknowledges that he and other designers have helped shape what it means to be modern, but he also recognizes that consumers ultimately decide the level of modernity they want in their lives. Grange’s upbringing was far from modern, but he considers himself lucky to have had opportunities to pursue design. His career began in the BBC set-painting studios and expanded to include working with architects and doing national service as a draughtsman. Communication was essential to Grange’s early success, as he found inventive ways to convey information through exhibition stands and illustrations. One of his most significant achievements was designing the Kenwood Chef, a revolutionary food mixer that brought technology into British kitchens. He also designed the iconic InterCity 125 train, which still operates today. Grange credits German designer Dieter Rams as a major influence and emphasizes the importance of the Design Council and government commissions in his career. He hopes that future leaders in the UK will embrace the power of design to improve lives. As he gazes towards his workshop, Grange reflects on a career spent shaping the modern world.
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