Philippe Starck has been designing since 1969, when an inflatable structure for Perce-Neige caught Pierre Cardin's eye and got him a job at twenty. He has not stopped: his own June 2026 catalogue lists new chairs for Kartell and a villa opening this year. What passes through here is the work that made him famous outside France, the injection-moulded Kartell chairs, the Flos lamps, the Driade seating. Every one is an original, authenticated against its maker and restored, then delivered in 1 to 5 days. Originals only.
Philippe Starck, Fifty Years of Industrial Design
Philippe Starck was born in Paris on 18 January 1949, the son of an aeronautical engineer, and studied at the Ecole Nissim de Camondo. In 1969 an inflatable structure he designed for Perce-Neige drew attention at the Salon de l'Enfance, and Pierre Cardin made him artistic director of his publishing house. He set up on his own in 1979, first as Starck Product and later renamed Ubik after the Philip K. Dick novel. He is still working: the June 2026 edition of his official catalogue lists the Gio chair and Giota table for Kartell and Villa Colette at Cap Ferret opening this year.
The output is unusually wide, and the manufacturer matters more than the name. Driade came first, with the Costes chair in 1983 for the Paris cafe of the same name, then the Neoz range from 1995. Alessi followed with the Juicy Salif, drawn in 1988 and in production from 1990. For Flos there is the Ara lamp of 1986, the Miss K of 2001 and the K Tribe of 2007. Kartell is the deepest relationship, roughly eighty designs across forty years, among them the Miss Trip chair of 1994, the Eros of 1999, the Louis Ghost of around 2000 and the Masters of 2007, the last designed with Eugeni Quitllet and always credited to both.
Kartell still makes the icons new: £676 for two Louis Ghost chairs, £920 for two Masters, £528 for two La Marie. Copies of the Louis Ghost sell into the UK from about £42 including VAT, and the tell is material rather than a label. A genuine Kartell chair is injection-moulded polycarbonate in a single piece, and the identification is moulded into the shell rather than applied to it, often nearly invisible on a clear seat. Most copies are acrylic or assembled from parts. Every original here is authenticated, restored where needed, and delivered in 1 to 5 days with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. Design doesn't depreciate. Browse the originals.
Philippe Starck: frequently asked questions
Who is Philippe Starck?
Philippe Starck is a French designer, born in Paris on 18 January 1949, who has worked across furniture, lighting, bathrooms, hotels and consumer products since the late 1960s. He founded his own studio in 1979, later renamed Ubik. He is still designing: his official catalogue was updated in June 2026 with new work for Kartell and Cassina.
What has Philippe Starck designed?
The best-known pieces are the Louis Ghost and Masters chairs for Kartell, the Juicy Salif lemon squeezer for Alessi, the Costes chair and Neoz range for Driade, the Ara, Miss K and K Tribe lamps for Flos, the Hudson chair for Emeco and the Mister sofa for Cassina. He has also worked with Duravit, Axor, Magis, Vitra and Baccarat.
Which Kartell pieces did Philippe Starck design?
Around eighty, including Dr Glob and Miss Balu (1986), Miss Trip (1994), La Marie (1996), Bubble Club (1998), Eros (1999), Louis Ghost (around 2000), the Ghost family from 2002 and Masters (2007, with Eugeni Quitllet). Two often misattributed to him are not his: Bourgie is Ferruccio Laviani and Componibili is Anna Castelli Ferrieri.
Where can I buy pre-owned Philippe Starck furniture in the UK?
REHAUS sells authenticated, original Starck designs in the UK. Because his work was made by Kartell, Flos, Driade and Cassina rather than under his own name, every piece is checked against the manufacturer before listing, restored where needed, and delivered nationwide in 1 to 5 days with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial.
How do I know a Kartell piece by Starck is genuine?
Kartell moulds its identification into the piece rather than applying a label, so on a clear polycarbonate chair it can be very hard to see; look at the underside of the seat rim in raking light. Construction is the stronger tell: a genuine Louis Ghost or La Marie is injection moulded in one piece from polycarbonate, while most copies are acrylic or assembled from several parts.
Is pre-owned Philippe Starck furniture worth buying?
It is a price and condition play rather than a scarcity one, because Kartell still makes most of these models new. Two new Masters chairs are £920, so a pre-owned pair at half that is a real saving. Check the current price first: Kartell sells two La Marie chairs for £528. Polycarbonate also shows wear that cannot be refinished, so condition matters more than usual.
How is it delivered, and can I return it?
Each piece is delivered in 1 to 5 days, with white-glove delivery complimentary on qualifying orders. Every order comes with a 30-day home trial, so you can live with it before committing. If it is not right, returns are straightforward. Because each piece is one of one, it is only truly yours once it has shipped.
Why buy Philippe Starck from REHAUS?
REHAUS sells originals only. Every piece is authenticated against its manufacturer, restored to a high standard and delivered fast across the UK, with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. Copies of the Louis Ghost start at about £42 in this country, and they are not the same object; you are buying a documented Kartell, Flos or Driade piece.
