Cooper Hewit NYC - Portrait by Kate and Camilla

Biography

Doshi Levien is an award winning studio founded by designers Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien. Doshi Levien’s work explores and celebrates the beauty, plurality and diversity of the world we live in. Nipa and Jonathan believe design is a powerful means to foster equal exchange between cultures and countries.

Born in Mumbai and raised in New Delhi, Nipa studied at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad where she developed a love not only for Modern architecture by BV Doshi, Corbusier and Louis Kahn, but also a deep life long appreciation for the ancient walled cities of India, rich in textiles and other Indian crafts.  Jonathan was born in Scotland. He trained as a fine cabinet maker, applying his understanding of fine craftsmanship to industrial design. Nipa and Jonathan met in 1995 while doing an MA at the Royal College of Art in London.

Nipa and Jonathan established their studio Doshi Levien in 2000. The London based practice is internationally acclaimed for work that unites culture, technology, industrial design and fine craftsmanship. Nipa’s practice is rooted in her plural upbringing and astute eye for visual culture; and Jonathan’s in industrial precision, combined with the sensibility of a maker’s hand and deep understanding of materials. The layering of research, materiality, and the tactility of their design process – painting, model-making, colour mixing – result in work that is distinguished by their clarity of ideas and a seemingly effortless attention to detail. What makes Doshi Levien’s work so distinctive is not just their confident relationship to colour, material and form, but their ability to translate their meticulous design ideas to the context of industrial production. This has enabled them to work coherently across disciplines from colour to textiles, footwear to lighting, furniture to ceramics, often bringing their understanding of one process to their work on another. They have created work for industry leaders, for Paris-based Galerie Kreo, prestigious international museums and cultural institutions, notably Sevres and The Grand Hornu. Doshi Levien has won several awards for their work. Nipa and Jonathan were in The King’s 2023 New Year Honours List and both awarded MBE for services to design.

signature-logos

Milan - Portrait by Jamie Morgan

Contact

49 Columbia Road
London
E2 7RG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7739 3631

For all enquiries, please use the following email. If you are enquiring about an internship or employment, please address your email to Jonathan Levien and include examples of your latest work. We look forward to hearing from you. mail@doshilevien.com

Doshi Levien studio - Portrait by Annica Eklund

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien - Portrait by Jonas Lindström

Awards and Press

2025

2023

‘Nipa Doshi’ by Virginia Jen

The co-founder of interdisciplinary practice DOSHI LEVIEN continues to make VIBRANT, instinctive strides in design.

2023 New Years Honours List

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien have been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to design.

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Financial_Times NEW

FT Perfect weekend Nipa Doshi. Story by Jenny Dalton.

Half of Indian-British studio Doshi Levien, the Mumbai-born designer is this autumn creating new furniture, textiles and lamps for B&B Italia and Galerie Kreo.

Cover_IDEAT_sept_oct_2015

‘Le mix Doshi-Levien’ by Guy-Claude Agboton

”Nipa est formelle : ” Les gens ne parlent pas assez de ce que la beautée représente pour eux.” Pour le couple de designers, le sentiment de la beautée règne en grand jusque dans l’infiniment petit. ”Plus vous voyez ces objets, plus vous les comprenez, et plus le temps passe, plus ils sont beaux.” C’est comme avec Doshi Levien. Plus on les voit, plus on les apprécie.’

Elle Decoration Cover

Elle Decoration Designers of the Year

Nipa Doshi “As a child I wasn’t aware that design existed, but I was fascinated by my environment.”

Words by Dominic Lutyens Photography by Filippo Bambergh/ Fotofyer

AD-Cover-header

‘Design For Life’ by Juhi Pande

“Materiality is at the core of everything that Doshi and Levien embrace and that extends to their home: a well-lived space with a host of objects, each telling a unique story.” marchio_ELLE DECO

EDIDA Awards 2015

Doshi Levien wins Designer of the year on the 13th edition of the EDIDA Awards. ‘Rabari 1’ rug designed for Nanimarquina wins the Floor covering EDIDA Award Living-final-cover

‘Progetti con il sari’ by Elisabetta Colombo

“Il nostro lavoro è una sintesi di industrial design e altro artigianato. Due mondi diversi che parlano una lingua unica senza scadere nei cliché.”

Styling by Sissi Valassina Photos by Filippo Bamberghi

Wallpaper-2015-cover-new

Wallpaper Design Awards 2015

‘Maya’ mirrors designed for HAY win Best for Men Only. ‘Almora’ arm chair designed for B&B Italia wins Best Executive Office.

2014

2012

metropolis

‘Artful Blend’ by Jonathan Glancey

“Doshi Levien is proof that the perceived dangers of global design—ubiquity, the abandonment of local color, craft, and culture—are not an inevitable threat to variety and beauty in the modern world. Design can be at once local and global, employing age-old customs, patterns, and ways of working along with the latest in materials, technology, manufacturing, and marketing.”

Vogue header

Vogue Living by Rachel Lopez.

Nipa Doshi. “It’s natural for aspects of the material environment that I have grown up with to seep into my work. But also, I love Indian culture – not just for the visual side, but the values and attitude towards the material environment.”   Intramuros-cover

‘Rites de Passage’ by Yann Siliec

At the crossroads between technology, crafts, history and industrial design, Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien ignore the idea of boundaries. Combining their roots, their work celebrates the cultural hybrid…

2009

2008

2007

2005

2003

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien - Portrait by Jonas Lindström

Cooper Hewit NYC - Portrait by Kate and Camilla

Biography

Doshi Levien is an award winning studio founded by designers Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien. Doshi Levien’s work explores and celebrates the beauty, plurality and diversity of the world we live in. Nipa and Jonathan believe design is a powerful means to foster equal exchange between cultures and countries.

Born in Mumbai and raised in New Delhi, Nipa studied at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad where she developed a love not only for Modern architecture by BV Doshi, Corbusier and Louis Kahn, but also a deep life long appreciation for the ancient walled cities of India, rich in textiles and other Indian crafts.  Jonathan was born in Scotland. He trained as a fine cabinet maker, applying his understanding of fine craftsmanship to industrial design. Nipa and Jonathan met in 1995 while doing an MA at the Royal College of Art in London.

Nipa and Jonathan established their studio Doshi Levien in 2000. The London based practice is internationally acclaimed for work that unites culture, technology, industrial design and fine craftsmanship. Nipa’s practice is rooted in her plural upbringing and astute eye for visual culture; and Jonathan’s in industrial precision, combined with the sensibility of a maker’s hand and deep understanding of materials. The layering of research, materiality, and the tactility of their design process – painting, model-making, colour mixing – result in work that is distinguished by their clarity of ideas and a seemingly effortless attention to detail. What makes Doshi Levien’s work so distinctive is not just their confident relationship to colour, material and form, but their ability to translate their meticulous design ideas to the context of industrial production. This has enabled them to work coherently across disciplines from colour to textiles, footwear to lighting, furniture to ceramics, often bringing their understanding of one process to their work on another. They have created work for industry leaders, for Paris-based Galerie Kreo, prestigious international museums and cultural institutions, notably Sevres and The Grand Hornu. Doshi Levien has won several awards for their work. Nipa and Jonathan were in The King’s 2023 New Year Honours List and both awarded MBE for services to design.

signature-logos

Milan - Portrait by Jamie Morgan

Contact

49 Columbia Road
London
E2 7RG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7739 3631

For all enquiries, please use the following email. If you are enquiring about an internship or employment, please address your email to Jonathan Levien and include examples of your latest work. We look forward to hearing from you. mail@doshilevien.com

Awards and Press

2025

2023

‘Nipa Doshi’ by Virginia Jen

The co-founder of interdisciplinary practice DOSHI LEVIEN continues to make VIBRANT, instinctive strides in design.

2023 New Years Honours List

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien have been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to design.

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Financial_Times NEW

FT Perfect weekend Nipa Doshi. Story by Jenny Dalton.

Half of Indian-British studio Doshi Levien, the Mumbai-born designer is this autumn creating new furniture, textiles and lamps for B&B Italia and Galerie Kreo.

Cover_IDEAT_sept_oct_2015

‘Le mix Doshi-Levien’ by Guy-Claude Agboton

”Nipa est formelle : ” Les gens ne parlent pas assez de ce que la beautée représente pour eux.” Pour le couple de designers, le sentiment de la beautée règne en grand jusque dans l’infiniment petit. ”Plus vous voyez ces objets, plus vous les comprenez, et plus le temps passe, plus ils sont beaux.” C’est comme avec Doshi Levien. Plus on les voit, plus on les apprécie.’

Elle Decoration Cover

Elle Decoration Designers of the Year

Nipa Doshi “As a child I wasn’t aware that design existed, but I was fascinated by my environment.”

Words by Dominic Lutyens Photography by Filippo Bambergh/ Fotofyer

AD-Cover-header

‘Design For Life’ by Juhi Pande

“Materiality is at the core of everything that Doshi and Levien embrace and that extends to their home: a well-lived space with a host of objects, each telling a unique story.” marchio_ELLE DECO

EDIDA Awards 2015

Doshi Levien wins Designer of the year on the 13th edition of the EDIDA Awards. ‘Rabari 1’ rug designed for Nanimarquina wins the Floor covering EDIDA Award Living-final-cover

‘Progetti con il sari’ by Elisabetta Colombo

“Il nostro lavoro è una sintesi di industrial design e altro artigianato. Due mondi diversi che parlano una lingua unica senza scadere nei cliché.”

Styling by Sissi Valassina Photos by Filippo Bamberghi

Wallpaper-2015-cover-new

Wallpaper Design Awards 2015

‘Maya’ mirrors designed for HAY win Best for Men Only. ‘Almora’ arm chair designed for B&B Italia wins Best Executive Office.

2014

2012

metropolis

‘Artful Blend’ by Jonathan Glancey

“Doshi Levien is proof that the perceived dangers of global design—ubiquity, the abandonment of local color, craft, and culture—are not an inevitable threat to variety and beauty in the modern world. Design can be at once local and global, employing age-old customs, patterns, and ways of working along with the latest in materials, technology, manufacturing, and marketing.”

Vogue header

Vogue Living by Rachel Lopez.

Nipa Doshi. “It’s natural for aspects of the material environment that I have grown up with to seep into my work. But also, I love Indian culture – not just for the visual side, but the values and attitude towards the material environment.”   Intramuros-cover

‘Rites de Passage’ by Yann Siliec

At the crossroads between technology, crafts, history and industrial design, Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien ignore the idea of boundaries. Combining their roots, their work celebrates the cultural hybrid…

2009

2008

2007

2005

2003

Doshi Levien studio - Portrait by Annica Eklund

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien - Portrait by Jonas Lindström