Prince Philip Designers Prize 50th anniversary
Prince Philip Designers Prize turns 50 in 2009

Many important things seem to be celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Mini, Barbie and the beer can are just three icons turning 50 in 2009 and another one close to our hearts is the Prince Philip Designers prize, also born in 1959.
See previous winners from the last 50 years and work from some of this year’s nominees
Awarded annually to honour a landmark achievement in design, the prize is run by the Design Council and handed out by HRH himself. This being their half-centenary, the award was announced at Buckingham Palace and followed by a celebration of the very best of British design. Fittingly, given London’s ever-growing commitment to cycling, the 2009 winner is Andrew Ritchie, designer of the folding Brompton bike.
The panel, chaired by Prince Philip and including Peter Head, Kevin McCleod and Sir Michael Bichard, Chairman of the Design Council, the Brompton was praised for its portability, slick engineering and ease of its ride. Manufactured in the UK and sold throughout the world, Ritchie spent 21 years perfecting the design – an award-worthy exercise in patience and precision too.
The other nominees were an interesting mix of Wallpaper* names and establishment designers: David Adjaye, Hussein Chalayan, Peter Saville, Wayne Hemingway, Eric Parry, husband and wife graphic designers Jay Smith and Howard Milton, Jeff Banks and Michael Peters – the latter two received special commendations from the judges.
The Designers Prize principally champions progress and looking at the winners from the first 50 years what’s impressive is how pioneering British consumer and industrial design has consistently been. From the very first winner – the Prestcold Packaway refrigerator in 1959, by Charles Longman – up to the Brompton folding bike today, British design mightn’t grab the headlines that it has done in the past, but year after year the Designers Prize goes to show there’s still plenty worth celebrating.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
-
Dine within a rationalist design gem at the newly opened Cucina Triennale
Cucina Triennale is the latest space to open at Triennale Milano, a restaurant and a café by Luca Cipelletti and Unifor, inspired by the building's 1930s design
-
The collections you might have missed this S/S 2026 menswear season
Between the headliners in Paris, Milan and Florence, a few off-schedule displays are deserving of honourable mention – from Martine Rose’s sexually-charged portrait of Kensington Market to Sander Lak’s appointment-only namesake debut
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvas
Michael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
Rimowa Design Prize set to celebrate student innovation
The new Rimowa Design Prize is launching in collaboration with 15 universities, celebrating both student innovation and German design
-
30 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize finalists show mastery with material
Loewe Foundation Craft Prize announces 30 global finalists for its annual award that celebrates contemporary makers
-
Beazley Designs of the Year 2019 winners announced
At the Design Museum ceremony in London tonight, Muji, Pentagram and Adidas are among the winners of the coveted Beazley Designs of the Year 2019
-
Whimsical Murano mirrors scoop Bonhams Prize in Venice
-
The 2019 British Land London Design Medal winners announced
Tom Dixon, Daniel Charny, Ross Atkin and Vivienne Westwood will be awarded this year’s accolades during London Design Festival (14-22 September)
-
Genta Ishizuka wins the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2019
-
Philippe Starck, Virgil Abloh and Sabine Marcelis among winners of Designboom’s Design Prize
-
Voting opens for The Design Prize’s Social Impact award by Designboom
The third edition of The Design Prize by Designboom launches, with winners to be awarded during Milan Design Week 2019