My friend Peter Leonard, who has died aged 69 of cancer, was a designer of both visionary and traditional sensibilities. He enjoyed huge success with his company Peter Leonard Associates (now Peter Leonard and Company) from 1980 onwards, working from a studio on Poland Street, Soho, in central London. Overseeing his team of 30, he created vibrant interior and product designs for residential and commercial clients.
Peter’s ethos was catholic in its approach, encompassing interiors and architecture. He was at the forefront of a new wave of consultancies reshaping British design in the 1980s and early 90s. Innovation and problem solving were key to his work for clients that included Harrods, WH Smith, Liberty, Jasper Conran, Laura Ashley, Next, the Virgin megastore in Paris, EMI, Ideal Standard, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. He also established Soho Design, a lifestyle store on Kings Road in Chelsea, selling furniture and accessories.
