Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the British Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. It is the UK’s highest design accolade and is awarded to people who have achieved “sustained design excellence, work of aesthetic value and significant benefit to society”. Those who are British citizens take the letters RDI after their names, while those who are not become Honorary RDIs (HonRDI). Everyone who holds the distinction is a Member of The Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry (founded in 1938).
Their work is diverse, ranging from fashion to engineering, theatre to product design, graphics to environmental design.