The Royal Society for Arts (RSA) today announced the appointment of five new Royal Designers for Industry (RDIs) and two Honorary Royal Designers for Industry (HRDIs), joining the world's most distinguished community of designers.
© RSA
Established in 1936, the RDI is the highest accolade a designer can receive, recognising sustained design excellence and significant societal contributions through design. Only 200 designers worldwide may hold the title at any one time, a roster including Sir Paul Smith, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Sir Jony Ive, and Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
The 2025 inductees, over half of whom are women, represent an unusually broad spectrum of contemporary design, spanning data visualisation, ecological planting, structural innovation, community storytelling, sculpture, and digital media.
The new RDIs are:
- Yinka Ilori MBE, British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer, whose colour-rich work transforms urban spaces and celebrates cultural identity.
- Mona Chalabi, data visualisation designer and illustrator, translating complex truths into accessible, human stories.
- Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, a multidisciplinary artist, exploring the boundaries between nature, technology, and imagination.
- Frith Kerr, graphic designer and founder of Studio Frith, known for concept-led visual identities combining wit, empathy, and clarity.
- Teucer Wilson, stone carver and monument designer reviving traditional craft as a deeply human art form.
The new Honorary RDIs are:
- April Greiman, transmedia pioneer and digital design visionary.
- Philippe Block, structural designer and engineer whose sustainable building systems are redefining architecture's relationship with materials and gravity.
- Johanna Gibbons RDI, Master of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry, said:
"Design lives and breathes in everything around us- it's the meeting point of creativity, care and courage. Each of our new Royal Designers shows how design can transform the way we see and shape the world, bringing people together and restoring balance between human and natural systems."
Joanna Choukeir, Head of Design and Innovation at the RSA, added:
"The RSA celebrates design as the creative force shaping how we live- in everything we see, use and imagine. The RDIs represent design at its most ambitious; not as decoration or luxury, but as a vital force for change. We are delighted to welcome these new RDIs and HRDIs and are proud to be the home of the world's most prestigious design community."
Quotes from the new RDIs:
- Yinka Ilori, RDI: "I'm honoured to receive this award and become part of the RDI community. It's incredible to join a network that champions culture and connection, values that have always been at the heart of my work. For me, design is about celebrating everyday stories, creating joyful experiences, and shaping spaces that feel open and welcoming. I'm excited to share my perspective, learn from others, and continue pushing boundaries together."
- Frith Kerr, RDI: "I've always believed design is a conversation between people, places and things, about ideas that can cross space and time. Now I have the huge honour of being made a Royal Designer for Industry. I am excited to take those conversations further, wider and into the future."
- Mona Chalabi, RDI: "Design helps to structure our moral universe. Right now though, most designers (like many journalists) shirk that responsibility; they claim that the onus lies more with the users than creators. I don't buy that. I believe that rather than trying to make things better, our starting point must be a fear that we might perhaps be making the world worse. From there, we should work tirelessly to make sure that isn't the case. This award is one of the only things that will make my parents proud... because the appointment means my colleagues see the value of the work I'm doing. If the public can say the same, then that's even better."
- Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, RDI: "Receiving this award is such an honour and to be in the company of so many of the designers whose work continues to shape and inspire me is really special. As a multidisciplinary artist, being named a Royal Designer for Industry shows that disciplinary boundaries are there to be crossed, and doing so is how we can help imagine and create a world that is more sustainable and just."
- Teucer Wilson, RDI: "Receiving the RDI Award is a real honour. It's wonderful to be recognised alongside such talented people working across so many disciplines. My practice spans sculpture, art, craft, design, typography, and bespoke memorial work — a combination that's not easily categorised — so it means a great deal to see this kind of work valued. I split my time between the workshop and the studio, and I hope that my experience as both a designer and a maker can offer a unique perspective. I'm really looking forward to meeting and learning from the inspiring members of this remarkable collective."
The 2025 RDI Address will be delivered by Johanna Gibbons RDI at RSA House, London, on 27 November 2025.
More information:
Royal Society for Arts
[email protected]
www.thersa.org
