Apple hires watch guru before launch [365]

Marc Newson has become the latest world-renowned designerer to join Apple, it has been announced.

Mr Newson, who has designeded watches in the past, has worked on designss with Apple recently, prompting further speculation the company is planning to move into new product areas.

He is close friends with Apple's chief designerer, Jonathan Ive, who called him "extraordinarily talented".

Mr Newson said he was "enormously proud" to be joining Apple.

Marc Newson <a href=design"" /> Designeded by Marc Newson for Pod in 1986

He is known for designinging a wide range of products, including furniture, clothing and wristwatches. And a source suggested that there would be more to say following Apple's product launch event on Tuesday.

src="http://newsbbcimgcouk/media/images/77459000/jpg/_77459793_solaris_watch_002_olivierpasqualjpg"aris_watch_002_olivierpasqual.jpg" width="464" height="261" alt="Marc Newson design"" /> Marc Newson came up with this watch design in 2008

Mr Newson and Apple's senior vice-president of design, Mr Ive, have been working together over the past year. The news was originally reported by Vanity Fair on Friday.

Marc Newson <a href=design"" /> Marc Newson designeded this timepiece in 2006

"[Newson's] most relevant product would be the watches. That was before Ive was doing iPhones that made smartphones into jewellery," said Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum.

He said: "The thing about Marc Newson's work is that he has a slightly more hedonistic strand, it is more playful. Where Jonathan Ive is the roundhead, Marc Newson is the cavalier.

"Marc Newson got on to the map when he did a series of furniture pieces called the Lockheed Lounge. He took design to a different area. It was more high profile and sculptural."

Marc Newson <a href=design"" /> Marc Newson made his name with the Lockheed Lounge in 1986

Mr Ive said: "Marc is without question one of the most influential designersers of this generation. He is extraordinarily talented. We are particularly excited to formalise our collaboration as we enjoy working together so much and have found our partnership so effective."

Mr Newson would be employed by Apple to work on special projectss but would continue to undertake a number of independent projectss outside of Apple through his design studio in the UK, his office said.

Mr Sudjic said the level of freedom he had been afforded represented a departure from Apple's standard procedure.

Marc Newson <a href=design"" /> Marc Newson's 2014 design for Freestream Aircraft Limited

Mr Newson said: "I'm full of admiration and respect for the extraordinary design work that has been produced by Jonny and the team at Apple.

"My close friendship with Jonny has not only given me a unique insight into that process, but the opportunity to work together with him and the people that have been responsible. I am enormously proud to join them."

Mr Newson is the latest big name in the design world to join Apple. He follows:

Burberry chief executive Angela Ahrendts Yves Saint Laurent's Paul Deneve Nike's Ben Shaffer Marc Newson <a href=design"" /> Designeded by Marc Newson for Jaeger Le-Coultre in 2010

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