Former Apple design chief Johnny Ive, who is still partnering with Apple on products, has unveiled his 12 must-have design tools for making, marking, measuring and carrying with him every day.
The list appears in a special issue of the Financial Times magazine “How to Spend It” (paid wall), in which Ive is a guest editor and the designer uses the opportunity to focus on his obsession with “doing”.
- Torque wrench – adjustable torque wrench, £ 455
- Tonar – Tonarm by Linn titanium Ekos SE, $ 5,645, basilaudio.com
- Hex keys – color-coded Wiha hex set L-key, from $ 3.69
- Paper Folder – Paper Folder, hwebber.co.uk
- Measuring tape – Hermès In The Pocket leather measuring tape, $ 530
- Magnifier – Vintage brass folding magnifier by Leitz Wetzlar, from Ive’s personal collection
- Pen – Vintage pen from Montegrappa, from Ive’s personal collection
- Eraser – Graf Von Faber-Castell Platinum Eraser, £ 100, jacksonsart.com
- Pencil – Vintage leather bag from Visvim, from Ive’s personal collection
- Protractor – Mitutoyo 6 inch universal transporter, £ 264
- Depth sounder – Starrett 440Z-3RL depth micrometer, $ 355 Weather station – ship’s clock and weather station Wempe Navigator II, 1960 $
Ive offers no explanation for what the list does or what specific products helped him design, but in a separate piece in which Ive and fellow LoveFrom designer Mark Newson talk about the equipment at their Cotswolds workshop, he said:
“There is beauty and joy in machines and tools. They are no longer just a means to an end. I think there is an inherent elegance to an effective tool that usually leads to curious beauty.”
Later in the conversation, Ive recalled how Newson helped him overcome the challenges he faced when working with the Apple Watch, and how he “really struggled” with physical design.
I think that our joint work on Apple Watch speaks of a joyful and effective cooperation in a particularly difficult time. I felt so strong that there is an important opportunity to create a very personal and useful product that can be worn on the wrist. I spent a lot of time struggling with the big foundational ideas and fundamental problems of the interface, but somehow I assumed that working on the actual object would be quite simple.
When the basic architecture of the idea was determined, I really struggled with physical design. It was from this place of struggle that I asked you to help. Although it was humbling for me, I think we quickly got to the final design together. We are proud of our work. I always hope to achieve that sense of inevitability, that simplicity where there doesn’t really seem to be a rational alternative.
Ive co-founded LoveFrom with Newson in 2019 after leaving his position at Apple. At the time, the technology giant said it would remain one of Ive’s main customers, but which Apple products he helped design has not been known since. Apple said Ive was involved in the design of the colorful 24-inch iMac, launched in April, but it’s unclear if that work came after Ive left the company.
It remains unclear how many employees work for LoveFrom, but Ive hired at least four of his former Apple colleagues to work with him, including One Sea, Chris Wilson, Patch Kessler and Jeff Tiller.
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