Designers reveal the one object they can't live without

A close-up, shallow depth-of-field shot of the tip of a light gray mechanical pencil, a Winsor & Newton fineliner, with black accents, resting on a textured orange and black patterned surface.

Every designer has that one object. It's the thing they reach for first thing in the morning, the tool that sits permanently within arm's reach, the item that would genuinely derail their working day if it went missing. It might be beautifully crafted, ridiculously practical, or simply imbued with personal meaning. But whatever it is, they can't imagine working without it.

I asked a selection of designers to share the single object they depend on most. And their choices reveal something fascinating about the creative process itself.