In 2019, Apple’s Chief Design Officer Jony Ive announced that he was leaving the company to start his own design firm alongside longtime friend Marc Newson. One of his clients however would continue to be Apple for the foreseeable future. Apple Chief, Tim Cook, reassured customers that Sir. Ive, would work exclusively with the company for many years. Today it’s reported that Ive will no longer work with Apple.
Very little detail has been communicated about the latest development. It’s known however that Ive has worked with other brands since partially leaving Apple.
Jony Ive’s company LoveFrom announced earlier this year its latest AAA clients: Exor and Ferrari.
The Italian car brand, Ferrari, is known. And Exor is the holding company that owns it—alongside stakes in the fashion brand Christian Louboutin, the soccer club Juventus F.C., the publication the Economist, and the automotive manufacturing giant Stellantis (which itself includes automotive brands like Fiat, Chrysler, and Citroën). As part of the partnership, Ive joined Exor’s Partners Council.
According to the Financial Times, Ive would work on Ferrari’s first electric vehicle. According to several reports, Ive was previously working on an electric car at Apple.
It’s also known that AirBnB is also one of Ive’s clients. Airbnb announced that it had hired LoveFrom.
AirBnB co-founder and Chief, Brian Chesky, announced via a letter: Jony and I have been good friends for many years, and he has been gracious enough to provide me with guidance and advice. We share the same belief in the value and importance of creativity and design. We each believe not only in making objects and interfaces, but in crafting services and experiences. We’ve seen how design can facilitate trust and enable more human connection, something people are desperate for during an unprecedented time of loneliness and disconnection.
Today, I’m thrilled to announce that Jony and his partners at LoveFrom will be engaging in a special collaboration with me and the Airbnb team. We have made the decision to work together through a multi-year relationship to design the next generation of Airbnb products and services. Jony will also help us continue to develop our internal design team, which he believes to be one of the world’s best. I know he is particularly excited about a relationship that will evolve to become a deep collaboration with our creative team”
As the contract with Apple was coming to an end it’s reported the parties decided not to renew.
New York Times reports that some Apple executives had questioned how much the company was paying Mr. Ive and had grown frustrated after several of its designers left to join Mr. Ive’s firm. And Mr. Ive wanted the freedom to take on clients without needing Apple’s clearance, media reports indicated.
