“Back in the 1960s, Niels asked, ‘Why can’t furniture fit like a suit?’ I’ve been fascinated by that question for years, and wanted to see how the concept would work. Now I see the Liberty chair! When you look at the tailored stitching, you immediately see that Niels’ inspiration is the tailored shirt—beautiful, simple, functional. That’s industrial design at its best.”

—Susan S. Szenasy, Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis

Niels Diffrient’s designs are grounded in the philosophy that form flows from function. His work has spanned generations, consistently looking past trends to reinvent the tools we use for daily living.

With an academic foundation in aeronautical engineering and a degree from Cranbrook Academy, Diffrient channels his knowledge of the fine arts, engineering and architecture into a design practice of passion and integrity. His highly functional designs are aesthetically timeless.

In his early work with the studios of Eero Saarinen, Marco Zanuso, and Henry Dreyfuss, to his current work with Humanscale, Diffrient’s visionary talent has been widely recognized. In 2007, Forbes.com named the “industry heavyweight” one of ten “Tastemakers” in the field of industrial design. Diffrient has also received the 2005 Legend Award from Contract magazine, the 2002 National Design Award from the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, and the 1999 Chrysler Award for Innovation.