David Trubridge (born 1951 in Oxford, England) earned a degree in Naval Architecture (Boat Design) from England's Newcastle University in 1972. He taught himself to make furniture while working as a part-time forester and spent 10 years sailing around the world with his family before launching a formal career in design. Inspired by the sea, he began to dedicate himself to his craft and, in 1995, formed his studio, David Trubridge Ltd. The designer came to international prominence for his Body Raft design that was exhibited at the Milan Furniture Fair in 2001. Trubridge was named one of the top 15 designers in the world in 2008 by Express Magazine. In an interview with the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Trubridge said that he designs “to provide cultural nourishment, to tell stories, to reach people emotionally and spiritually.”