Brian Kane was introduced to the world of industrial design by a school advisor. “He pointed to his office chair, his phone, the clock and said: Someone designed all of this,” Kane recalls.

After graduating from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and spending a year in New York working on housewares design, Kane and his wife went to Milan, Italy, where he literally knocked on doors. One opened—the office of architect Silvio Coppola—and changed his life. “My mindset changed when I saw his passion for design,” says Kane, who decided to pursue furniture design.

He returned to New York after a year and accepted a position at Atelier International (ai). In 1977, he joined Metropolitan Furniture Corporation (Metro), later becoming one of the co-owners. At Metro, he became involved in manufacturing—another important learning experience. “It’s such an integral part of what we do,” he explains.

In 1989, Kane founded Kane Design Studio in San Francisco, where he focused on his greatest passion: seating. “It’s about comfort and innovation,” he says. “I’ve always tried to explore materials and processes and use them in ways that add a unique element of detail. I’d say I’m a minimalist; I seek simplification of form and manufacturing.”

When developing Herman Miller’s Swoop lounge furniture line, Kane drew on his experience as a professor at the California College of the Arts, where he observed how students interact with furniture. “They don’t sit in the chair; they sprawl, they lie down, they lean. With their iPods and computers, they can be completely tuned out in a busy environment—as long as they’re comfortable.”

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