Royal Designer for Industry

Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction first awarded by the Royal Society of Arts in 1936. It deems its recipients to have achieved or encouraged the highest possible standards of design thereby elevating the status of designers in general. Those that have received the award range from fashion designers, engineers, stage designer, graphic artists and product designers. These include fashion guru Vivienne Westwood, artist and typographer Eric Gill, furniture designer Gordon Russell, engineer Barnes Wallis of Dam Buster fame, artist Edward Bawden, illustrator Ronald Searle and photographer Bill Brandt.

Additionally, 'Honorary' status is only usually awarded to foreign 'artist' who may have worked in the UK but normally work and reside outside Britain, Edward McKnight Kauffer an American working largely in Britain, was the first Honorary recipient in 1936.