The designers and collections we're excited about from our Design 100

“Every year,” says our editor Hatta Byng, “I’m energised by the newness found in Design 100, our annual special that celebrates new faces alongside well-known names creating exciting things.” This list of people, objects and collections is a brilliant guide to what's new and compelling in the world of contemporary design, marshalled by our deputy editor David Nicholls.

Yanxiong Lin

One of the most striking pieces to be found at this year's Collect - the contemporary craft fair staged by the Crafts Council in spring at Somerset House, WC2 - was by a relative debutant. Yanxiong Lin is a Chinese designer who finished his MA in Design (Furniture) at Central Saint Martins in 2022. His 'Birth' cabinet was part of the presentation by Charles Burnand Gallery and although a squat little thing seemingly tucked away in one corner, it drew plenty of attention.

The cabinet is a wonderful mélange of a piece - with its anthropomorphic qualities and juxtaposed geometries, it is a sort of modern, monochromatic take on Memphis. But it is also a deeply crafted piece of furniture, as is the rest of his inaugural collection, 'A Window to the Past'. 'Birth' is made from wood and clad in washi paper that has been sealed with traditional Japanese urushi lacquer - materials that have also been used on the chair and the two tables that complete the collection. The chair in this photograph is a prototype made from steel, wood and papier-mâché. The plan is to have it cast in bronze in time for PAD London this October, at which Charles Burnand Gallery will be exhibiting for the first time. It will expose the designer's work to its biggest international audience yet.