Top 20 under 40: the stars of tomorrow
Inevitably, our Power 200 is stuffed with consistent old-hands and longstanding design royalty. But as part of this exploded approach, we've also curated a concise selection of the finest practitioners under 40 – not so much the stars of tomorrow as precocious dazzlers

To mark the not insignificant occasion of our 200th issue, we at Wallpaper* have expanded our Power 100 list of the world's pre-eminent design talent into a leviathan and (even more) comprehensive Power 200.
Inevitably, our list is stuffed with consistent old-hands and longstanding design royalty. But as part of this exploded approach, we've also curated a concise selection of the finest practitioners under 40 – not so much the stars of tomorrow as precocious dazzlers. Some have nudged and shunted design in new directions, others have laid claim to tropes and traditions, refining and redefining as they go.
Among the ranks are familiar faces such as (Wallpaper* award winner) Philippe Malouin, Paul Cocksedge, Fabien Cappello and Daniel Rybakken, as well as the cutting edge likes of Studio Glithero (who revel in reimagining design as performance art), Formafantasma, mischer'traxler and Alexis Georgacopoulos, the director of ECAL – Europe's most innovative design school.
Unsurprisingly for a generation so imbued with an appreciation for natural asceticism, minimalism and sustainable practice are a common theme here, from the artisanal excavations of Max Lamb, Anglo-Japanese duo Studio Swine's found-object product design, the recycled wooden birds of Lars Beller Fjetland and the deceptively simple designs of Nicolas Le Moigne, Nao Tamura and Konstanin Grcic alumnus-turned-accessory designer Pauline Deltour.
There's playful decadence here too, though, be it in Bethan Laura Wood's flamboyant work with pattern and marquetry, the midcentury-leaning designs of Beirut duo David & Nicolas, the unabashed modern glam of Lee Broom, Sebastian Herkner's elegant technicolour creations or the reliably skewed designs of London's Raw-Edges, designers of the iconic 'Stack' drawer.
Finally, Gesa Hansen – founder of The Hansen Family – tops off the pile with a smattering of warm Nordic modernism.
Our 20 under 40 are already designers on the top of their game – where they'll go from here (and where they'll end up in next year's list) is anyone's guess.
See the Power 200 in full here
Bethan Laura Wood: Flamboyant mistress of pattern and marquetry. Pictured: W*146
Daniel Rybakken: Light guru and master of the new model minimalism. Pictured: Layers installation, 2012.
David/Nicolas: Playfully decadent Beirut duo with a midcentury bent.
Fabien Cappello: Notable clients include Libby Sellers, Kvadrat and Nilufar
Formafantasma: Dutch-based duo at design’s conceptual cutting edge
Gesa Hansen: Warm Nordic modernist and founder of The Hansen Family. Pictured in her Paris Office with her ’Remix’ desk, a solid oak twist on the classic Davenport desk in W*158.
Lars Beller Fjetland: Norwegian designer known for his recycled wood birds and modern lamps.
Lee Broom: Prolific designer who trades in unabashed modern glam
Max Lamb: Experimenter with artisanal excavations and materials
Mischer’Traxler: Viennese duo that create beguilingly interactive designs
Nao Tamura: Designer who made a splash with her fishing float lamps.
Nicolas Le Moigne: His deceptively simple designs make the unlikely elegant
Pauline Deltour: Konstantin Grcic alumnus-turned-accessory designer.
Paul Cocksedge: Creator of bold lighting and spectacular staircases
Philippe Malouin: His swings for Caesarstone were a highlight of Salone 2015. Pictured: Philippe Malouin (far right) with Elliot Kendal (centre), who is part of Malouin’s studio, and Adam Guy Blencowe (left), one of Malouin’s RCA students.
Raw-Edges: London-based duo, designers of the iconic ‘Stack’ drawers. Pictured: Yael Mer (left) and Shay Alkalay of design duo Raw-Edges with Black London, the inaugural installation at Diesel Black Gold’s new Conduit Street Courtyard Gallery.
Sebastian Herkner: A craftsman with a fashion designer’s eye for colour.
Studio Glithero: Pioneering duo that reimagine design as performance art. Pictured: Paper Planes, Wallpaper* Handmade 2011
Studio Swine: Anglo-Japanese duo creating products out of found objects. Pictured: Studio Swine’s Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves at Swarovski HQ in 2015 when they were one of three winners of the brand’s Designers of the Future initiative
INFORMATION
See the Power 200 in full
Wallpaper* Newsletter
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.
-
Chanel drafts Peter Saville to design record sleeve for its blockbuster Manchester show
Chanel’s Métiers d’art show invitation came encased in a record sleeve by Peter Saville, heralding a blockbuster show that paid ode to his home city of Manchester’s cultural might
By Jack Moss Published
-
Wallpaper* gift guide: shopping with beauty & grooming editor Hannah Tindle
From a denim-toned eyeshadow palette to the perfect pair of jeans, and a heavenly blue bathrobe, these cool tones and stylish finds make for a super-luxe gift guide
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
House P’s linear, leafy composition aims for a ‘sensory architecture’
House P by Vandenborre Architecten is a family home conceived as a leafy sanctuary of minimalist elegance in suburban Belgium
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Bethan Laura Wood’s kaleidoscope of colours arrives at Melbourne’s NGV
‘Kaleidoscope-o-rama’ is a new exhibition by Bethan Laura Wood (3 December 2023 to 7 April 2024), the result of her NGV MECCA 2023 Women in Design Commission
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Formafantasma and Rubelli relaunch experimental textile brand Kieffer
The relaunch of Kieffer is the first step in the collaboration between Formafantasma and Rubelli, as the design studio makes its debut as the textile brand’s creative director
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Residenza Cappellini combines bold colour and Italian design in Manhattan
Frenchcalifornia and Giulio Cappellini present Residenza Cappellini, adding Italian interior flair to the Manhattan skyline
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Max Lamb’s latest furniture is made of cardboard boxes
Max Lamb’s cardboard furniture is on view at Gallery Fumi, London, until 18 November 2023
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated
-
Bethan Laura Wood’s psychedelic collection for Kaldewei is the avocado bathroom of her dreams
Bethan Laura Wood’s ‘Avocado Dreams’ collection for Kaldewei combines the German company’s expert manufacturing with a whimsical visual interpretation
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
What’s next for Artek? Formafantasma explores a sustainable revolution for the Finnish brand
Formafantasma engineers Artek furniture for the future with new takes on Alvar Aalto’s ‘Stool 60’ made of wild birch, and a plan to reconnect the Finnish company with the surrounding forests
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Why are gardens good for us? Vitra Design Museum’s ‘Garden Futures’ explores the potential of green spaces
‘Garden Futures: Designing with Nature’ is on view at Vitra Design Museum until 3 October 2023, with an exhibition design by Formafantasma
By Maria Cristina Didero Last updated
-
Formafantasma’s Oltre Terra explores our relationship with wool
‘Oltre Terra – Why Wool Matters’ is an exploration of the fibre's sourcing, production and ethics, at Oslo’s National Museum (until 1 October 2023)
By Giovanna Dunmall Published