Apple's design team has added another accolade to its burgeoning collection of awards. The company has been named the best design studio of the last 50 years at the prestigious Design and Art Direction awards in London.
The D&AD awards, as they are popularly called, are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and are widely regarded as one of the world's most prestigious prizes for advertising and design. In addition to the design award, Apple was also named as the best brand of the last 50 years.
Sir Jonathan Ive, the design guru behind Apple's most of iconic products including the iPod and the iPhone, flew in to collect both the awards. Interestingly, Ive didn't fly in alone. In what can be seen as a recognition D&AD awards' importance, Apple flew in its entire design team, consisting of 14 men and 2 women, to receive the best design studio award alongside Ive. It is understood to be the first collective public appearance of the Apple design team.
Sir 'Jony' did not speak at the event, but could be seen sporting a huge smile as he chatted with fellow guests, London Evening Standard
reported.
Amongst those present at the awards was Clive Grinyer, a product designer himself who's worked with the likes of Samsung and Cisco, and who also co-founded a design company called Tangerine with Martin Darbyshire and a certain Jonathan Ive. Grinyer praised Apple saying, "The design is inherent in every part of the brand."
Grinyer continued his tribute via Twitter saying, "17 of the Apple design team here at the D&AD and several hugged me. Sometimes it's ok to brag." He carried on, "My extraordinary life continues, I'm up on screen introducing Sir Jonathan and the Apple team... Just extraordinary to see 17 members of Apple design team on stage for 50 years of D&AD. Heroes."
Robert Senior, chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi said Apple's appearance at the event underlined the importance of D&AD awards, "If anyone wondered whether D&AD mattered, the world's most valuable company has flown its entire design team over."