Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry

Apple's former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has given a rare and wide-ranging interview at Stripe Sessions 2025, offering new insights into his design philosophy, his time at Apple, and his current work at his design collective, LoveFrom. In a one-hour conversation with Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison, Ive reflected on the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his career, beginning with his early exposure to Apple products as a student in the UK. Recalling his first encounter with the original Macintosh, Ive described it as a transformative moment that revealed the values of its creators. "What we make stands testament to who we are," he said. He characterized the Mac as a "bicycle for the mind," a phrase popularized by Steve Jobs, and noted how it inspired his eventual relocation to California in the early 1990s. Ive joined Apple in 1992 after a brief period of consulting and quickly rose through the company's ranks to lead the Industrial Design Group, where he oversaw the development of many of Apple's most iconic products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. He emphasized that the work of design at Apple was deeply rooted in its culture; describing a variety of internal practices intended to cultivate empathy and collaboration among the design team, including weekly shared meals.One of the things I thought was great was that every Friday morning, I asked that one person on the design team would make breakfast for the whole team. And we took it in turns. He also described working from each other's homes and creating informal settings where designers could build personal relationships, which he said translated directly into the care embedded in the company's products. According to Ive, these rituals were foundational to Apple's approach to creating user experiences. "Make things for each other," he said. Ive continued to emphasize attention to detail and the belief that seemingly minor aspects of product design carry significant weight. He referenced the design of Apple's packaging an as example of how everyday experiences could convey respect and consideration for the user.I had such a clear awareness that in designing a certain solution — for example, how we managed a cable that's in a box — I knew that millions of people would engage with this little tab. Ive said that such design choices were not arbitrary, but instead formed part of a broader ethic of care. He quoted Jobs, saying, "You can express gratitude to the species through what you make." Now nearly six years removed from Apple, Ive leads LoveFrom, an independent design collective he co-founded in 2019 with longtime collaborator Marc Newson. The group remains largely private in its operations but has gradually expanded its public profile. The studio's work includes product design, architecture, software, and branding. One of its most prominent recent contributions was the official coronation identity for King Charles III. According to Ive, LoveFrom is guided by the same principles that shaped his career at Apple, but the collective's mission has evolved. Ive sees each project as an opportunity to "sincerely elevate the species." The LoveFrom team includes not only designers but also musicians and typographers. Ive warned that designers and technologists today must remain vigilant about the unintended consequences of their work. He argued that positive intentions do not absolve creators from the outcomes of their products and stressed the importance of accountability.Even if you're innocent in your intention, if you're involved in something that has poor consequences, you need to own it. Ive also addressed broader concerns about the technology industry, including the rapid pace of innovation and the social implications of modern devices and platforms. I actually think that something that I feel conscious of is that I think generally in the valley and generally in our... industry, I think joy in humans has been missing. And the products that we're all developing, they're complicated, aren't they? And sometimes joy gets confused with being trivial. The interview marked a rare public appearance by Ive, who has typically maintained a low profile since his departure from Apple in 2019. He did not address collaboration with OpenAI on a new AI-focused hardware project.Tags: Jony Ive, LoveFromThis article, "Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

May 9, 2025 - 15:05

Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry

Apple's former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has given a rare and wide-ranging interview at Stripe Sessions 2025, offering new insights into his design philosophy, his time at Apple, and his current work at his design collective, LoveFrom.

In a one-hour conversation with Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison, Ive reflected on the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his career, beginning with his early exposure to Apple products as a student in the UK. Recalling his first encounter with the original Macintosh, Ive described it as a transformative moment that revealed the values of its creators.

"What we make stands testament to who we are," he said. He characterized the Mac as a "bicycle for the mind," a phrase popularized by Steve Jobs, and noted how it inspired his eventual relocation to California in the early 1990s.

Ive joined Apple in 1992 after a brief period of consulting and quickly rose through the company's ranks to lead the Industrial Design Group, where he oversaw the development of many of Apple's most iconic products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. He emphasized that the work of design at Apple was deeply rooted in its culture; describing a variety of internal practices intended to cultivate empathy and collaboration among the design team, including weekly shared meals.

One of the things I thought was great was that every Friday morning, I asked that one person on the design team would make breakfast for the whole team. And we took it in turns.

He also described working from each other's homes and creating informal settings where designers could build personal relationships, which he said translated directly into the care embedded in the company's products. According to Ive, these rituals were foundational to Apple's approach to creating user experiences. "Make things for each other," he said.

Ive continued to emphasize attention to detail and the belief that seemingly minor aspects of product design carry significant weight. He referenced the design of Apple's packaging an as example of how everyday experiences could convey respect and consideration for the user.

I had such a clear awareness that in designing a certain solution — for example, how we managed a cable that's in a box — I knew that millions of people would engage with this little tab.

Ive said that such design choices were not arbitrary, but instead formed part of a broader ethic of care. He quoted Jobs, saying, "You can express gratitude to the species through what you make."

Now nearly six years removed from Apple, Ive leads LoveFrom, an independent design collective he co-founded in 2019 with longtime collaborator Marc Newson. The group remains largely private in its operations but has gradually expanded its public profile. The studio's work includes product design, architecture, software, and branding. One of its most prominent recent contributions was the official coronation identity for King Charles III.

According to Ive, LoveFrom is guided by the same principles that shaped his career at Apple, but the collective's mission has evolved. Ive sees each project as an opportunity to "sincerely elevate the species." The LoveFrom team includes not only designers but also musicians and typographers.

Ive warned that designers and technologists today must remain vigilant about the unintended consequences of their work. He argued that positive intentions do not absolve creators from the outcomes of their products and stressed the importance of accountability.

Even if you're innocent in your intention, if you're involved in something that has poor consequences, you need to own it.

Ive also addressed broader concerns about the technology industry, including the rapid pace of innovation and the social implications of modern devices and platforms.

I actually think that something that I feel conscious of is that I think generally in the valley and generally in our... industry, I think joy in humans has been missing. And the products that we're all developing, they're complicated, aren't they? And sometimes joy gets confused with being trivial.

The interview marked a rare public appearance by Ive, who has typically maintained a low profile since his departure from Apple in 2019. He did not address collaboration with OpenAI on a new AI-focused hardware project.

Tags: Jony Ive, LoveFrom

This article, "Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums