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

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Alexis Georgacopoulos: Director of ECAL, Europe’s most innovative design school
Alexis Georgacopoulos: Director of ECAL, Europe’s most innovative design school
(Image credit: press)

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.

Wallpaper

(Image credit: press)

See the Power 200 in full here

Bethan Laura Wood: Flamboyant mistress of pattern and marquetry. Pictured: W*146

Bethan Laura Wood: Flamboyant mistress of pattern and marquetry. Pictured: W*146 

(Image credit: press)

Layers installation

Daniel Rybakken: Light guru and master of the new model minimalism. Pictured: Layers installation, 2012.

(Image credit: Kalle Sanner & Daniel Rybakken)

David/Nicolas: Playfully decadent Beirut duo with a midcentury bent.

David/Nicolas: Playfully decadent Beirut duo with a midcentury bent. 

(Image credit: Guillaume de Sardes)

Fabien Cappello: Notable clients include Libby Sellers, Kvadrat and Nilufar

Fabien Cappello: Notable clients include Libby Sellers, Kvadrat and Nilufar

(Image credit: press)

Formafantasma: Dutch-based duo at design’s conceptual cutting edge

Formafantasma: Dutch-based duo at design’s conceptual cutting edge

(Image credit: press)

Paris Office with her ’Remix’ desk, a solid oak twist on the classic Davenport desk

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.

(Image credit: Charles Fréger)

Lars Beller Fjetland: Norwegian designer known for his recycled wood birds and modern lamps.

Lars Beller Fjetland: Norwegian designer known for his recycled wood birds and modern lamps. 

(Image credit: Sjur Pollen)

Lee Broom: Prolific designer who trades in unabashed modern glam

Lee Broom: Prolific designer who trades in unabashed modern glam

(Image credit: press)

Max Lamb: Experimenter with artisanal excavations and materials

Max Lamb: Experimenter with artisanal excavations and materials

(Image credit: press)

Mischer’Traxler: Viennese duo that create beguilingly interactive designs

Mischer’Traxler: Viennese duo that create beguilingly interactive designs

(Image credit: press)

Nao Tamura: Designer who made a splash with her fishing float lamps.

Nao Tamura: Designer who made a splash with her fishing float lamps. 

(Image credit: Collin Hughes)

Nicolas Le Moigne: His deceptively simple designs make the unlikely elegant

Nicolas Le Moigne: His deceptively simple designs make the unlikely elegant

(Image credit: press)

Pauline Deltour: Konstantin Grcic alumnus-turned-accessory designer.

Pauline Deltour: Konstantin Grcic alumnus-turned-accessory designer. 

(Image credit: Franck Juery)

Paul Cocksedge: Creator of bold lighting and spectacular staircases

Paul Cocksedge: Creator of bold lighting and spectacular staircases

(Image credit: press)

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.

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.

(Image credit: James Reeve)

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.

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.

(Image credit: Michiel Meewis)

Sebastian Herkner: A craftsman with a fashion designer’s eye for colour.

Sebastian Herkner: A craftsman with a fashion designer’s eye for colour. 

(Image credit: Ingmar Kurth)

Studio Glithero: Pioneering duo that reimagine design as performance art. Pictured: Paper Planes, Wallpaper* Handmade 2011

Studio Glithero: Pioneering duo that reimagine design as performance art. Pictured: Paper Planes, Wallpaper* Handmade 2011 

(Image credit: press)

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

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 

(Image credit: press)

INFORMATION 
See the Power 200 in full

Rosa Bertoli

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.