Born and raised in Boxtel, Netherlands, Marcel Wanders, is “one of the legendary, larger-than-life designers of our time,” as well as, a respected individual, creator, designer and “iconoclast” in the creative, design world.

However, his whimsical and interesting designs didn’t always come easy and was not always as easily accepted as it is today. During his enrollment in design school, when he was asked to design a clock, he did not get the praise that he thought he would receive. Instead his teacher told him that the clock had a good concept being “theoretical and dogmatic” but “too bad it’s ugly.” Such a comment had an impact on him as he decided that he would design things that were unusual and out of the box but “there was no reason he couldn’t make beautiful things.” Though he was kicked out of design school after his first year, in 1988, he graduated cum laude from the School of the Arts Arnhem.

It wasn’t until he started working as one of the major designers for a renowned Dutch company called Droog Design that shaped him into the cutting edge and influential designer that he is today. Situated in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Droog Design was founded by designers Gijs Bakker and Renny Ramakers in 1993. The name Droog, which means “dry” in Dutch, is fitting for their company as they were known for their highly conceptual but simplistic and dry humour products. This pioneering company believe in breaking from the familiar and the conventional. They question many objects of design including what is considered the norm and accepted by consumers as being a good, asthetically-designed product, as well as, its functionality, appearance, texture, choices in materials and manufacturing process. The company’s mission is to create familiar objects, such as furniture, into something that serves the same purpose but has a “raw strangeness and style resistant nature.” They want to figure out how to design products in a way that no one has ever done before.

This was everything Wanders could dream of.  He basically had free reign to design anything his imagination allowed him to explore.  Whatever his heart desired, he could express it through his designs. It trained his mind to constantly question and challenge limitations by opening his mind to every thinkable possibility rather than the result.  This influenced him to create strong and conceptual objects that were unique and different.  His ability to break out of the static and uniform way of thinking was shown in his first Droog project of the "Knotted Chair".

In 1995, Wanders started his own company at a studio in Amsterdam called Marcel Wanders studio, once known as Wanders Wonders studio.  Despite his achievement, it was the year of 1996 that sparked the beginning of his fame as a globally recognized designer when he gained recognition for his "Knotted Chair".  It received many positive feedback internationally and has become an iconic piece to this day.  Wanders is now unstoppable and “ubiquitous.”  His works can be found in all of the big, high-end European design companies including Bisazza, Cappellini, B&B Italia, Flos, Moroso, and especially Droog Design and Moooi.

He also became the co-founder and art director of Moooi in 2001.  He and his partner, Casper Vissers, make a perfect team.  While Wanders contributes creatively through his passion for design, Casper’s strong marketing skills with his great design sense has made them successful. This company is a great representation of Wanders as the collections presented are “timeless objects of beauty which possess the uniqueness and character of antiques combined with the freshness of modern times.” Thus, the name Moooi is derived from the Dutch word “mooi” for beautiful but an extra “o“ is added to emphasize its “beauty and uniqueness.” Although the works of many other famous designers, along with Wanders' designs, are featured in Moooi, Wanders has total control over what is to be carried by Moooi, in order to ensure the company maintains its mission statement.

But Wanders' talent doesn't just stop there.  Besides designing objects and furniture, he also has a knack for architectural and interior design.  He has designed many retail and hospitality interiors, including Villa Moda and Kameha Grand Bonn hotel, which received the MIPIM Awards 2010 in the hotel category.  His success has been recognized globally as he has won many awards including Elle Decoration International Design Awards Designer of the Year in 2006, Philadelphia Museum of Art’s modern design collaborative award, and Collab, the Design Excellence Award in 2009.  His talents and success is truly unstoppable and he has become a leading force in the design world.