Stephen Bayley on Sir Terence Conran

The cultural commentator reflects on the impact his friend and fellow design powerhouse has had on British life

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(Image credit: Ray Williams, Neil Wilder)

My favourite account of the Conran world view remains: ‘The problem with Terence is he wants the whole world to have a better salad bowl.’ When I heard art dealer John Kasmin say that, I was struck both by its nice wit and the fine ambition it illuminated. It also confirms a design/food association that, for Terence, is fundamental.

Terence’s first, very junior design job was at the Festival of Britain in 1951, the year Elizabeth David published French Country Cooking. Mrs David’s books were sauce for Terence. The vileness of the era’s British food was a creative stimulus. Rissoles sat, in grim pools of fat, in depressing contrast to the bright colours and strong flavours of Mrs David’s love letters to garlic, oil and lemon.

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is a leading writer and commentator on design. He oversaw the creation of London’s Design Museum and was briefly creative director of the Millennium Dome. His books include Taste and Sex, Drink and Fast Cars. His next book is about how to design yourself.