James Irvine (1958–2013) was one of the most influential industrial designers of his generation, renowned for his rigorous yet profoundly human approach to design.

Born in London, Irvine earned a degree in industrial design from Kingston Polytechnic, followed by a master's degree from the Royal College of Art in 1984. That same year, he moved to Milan, a city that would become the creative and professional hub of his life. In Milan, Irvine began working as a design consultant for Olivetti, collaborating with leading Italian design figures such as Michele De Lucchi and Ettore Sottsass. After a year at the Toshiba Design Centre in Tokyo, he returned to Italy to become a partner at Sottsass Associati, where he led the industrial design group. In 1988, he established Studio Irvine, launching collaborations with iconic brands such as B&B Italia, Artemide, Arper, Zumtobel, and Cappellini. His multidisciplinary approach and highly diverse portfolio were united by a consistent vision: to create products that balance simplicity, functionality, and human-centered design.

Throughout his career, Irvine received numerous international accolades. In 2004, he was appointed Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) by the Royal Society of Arts in London, and in 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Design from Kingston University. Today, James Irvine’s legacy lives on through his projects and the new philosophy of the studio, now led by Marialaura Rossiello Irvine, through a creative journey that intertwines material, architecture, and industrial design, shaping a design approach that blends rigor and freedom, memory and contemporary vision.

For Cappellini, Irvine designed 9217 EraOra, an elegant wall clock conceived in the 1990s and brought to life only recently. This previously unreleased project perfectly embodies his signature style – graphic, essential, and poetic – and reflects his enduring influence on contemporary design.