David Collins Spread

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland in 1955, David Collins had yet to know how he would impact the world of design. His father worked in Dublin as an architect, but David wanted to pursue a law degree. He started out schooling at Conleths School when we was young and after he realized his lack of qualifications in Latin would not let him pursue a path in law, he began to follow his father’s footsteps in design. He went to the Bolton Street School of Architecture where he obtained degree as an architect.

After school, he traveled to London where he founded his David Collins Architecture and Design firm in 1985. As he began his interior design career, a close friend asked him to redecorate his new house. He soon admitted later, “I knew nothing, I’d never even seen the World of Interiors. But luckily the guy knew what he wanted, and his ex-wife helped me find the materials.” From here, everything began to set sail. Early years, David and his partner, Lain Watson, set out for a new way of thinking when it comes to design. Together, they wanted to focus on sophistication when it came to the aesthetics and rationality. He began designing for some of the largest recognized and glamorous names in the restaurant industry. Modernists such as Eileen Gray, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe were the sources of his inspiration throughout the 20^th century. He was personally fond of Mies, who famously said, “God is in the detail.”

One of Collins most well known clients was Madonna. She was a tremendous fan of his style in his work, the two became admirable friends when she commissioned him to design one of her friend’s nightclubs. It was later noted that Collins had writing credit on Madonna’s 1998 single “Drowned World/Substitute for Love”.

David Collins is a truly gifted man who set high goals for incoming, future designers. He designed some of the most remarkable interiors and was a true inspiration for all. In the past year, he unfortunately died due to a virulent skin cancer but he will always be remembered for his work and unique style in the design world.

Works Cited

Collins, David. David Collins Biography–Luxury Interior Design, Commercial Luxury Architecture. David Collins Biography–Luxury Interior Design, Commercial Luxury Architecture. Propeller, 1985. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.

Joyce, Carmel. "A COLLINS CREATION. (Cover Story)." World Of Hibernia 6.1 (2000): 64. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.

Young, Richard. "David Collins." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 17 July 2013. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.