Charles Wilson

Born in Forbes, Australia, in 1968, Charles Wilson graduated from the University of Technology (UTS) with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design in 1990. In 1992, he cofounded the Argo collective in Sydney with fellow UTS graduates to develop a collection of experimental furniture and decorative objects for manufacture. In 1993, Wilson created his first successful production design, the SW1 Swivel chair for Norman + Quaine, which became a part of the permanent collection of Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum in 1996. The chair sparked an ongoing working relationship between Wilson and Sydney-based manufacturer Woodmark, for whom Wilson has since created a range of furniture pieces for local and international distribution, all marked by a formal simplicity.

Best known for his designs of upholstered furniture pieces, Wilson’s projects include the Heron and Julep chairs, the Boulder sofa, the Serif stools, and the silver Candelabra, which was runner-up for the 2005 Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award and selected for the Australian Design Awards Powerhouse Museum Selection in 2007. Produced by Danish manufacturer MENU, Candelabra is flat-packed in two pieces and connected by magnets for assembly.

Wilson divides his time between his home in Sydney and the farm he grew up on in Forbes.