Douglas Forsythe Kelley

Douglas Forsythe Kelley (August 9, 1928 – November 21, 2021) was an American industrial designer who was known for designing the T-chair and the Elna Lotus sewing machine.

Life and career Kelley was born in Buffalo, New York, on August 9, 1928. He studied at Pratt Institute in New York City, where he met Ross Littell and William Katavolos. They started work for Laverne Originals, a furniture company created by Estelle and Erwine Laverne, designing furniture, textiles, and dinnerware. While at Laverne, they designed the 'T-chair', which won the A.I.D. (American Society of Interior Designers) Award in 1952 for the best furniture design in the United States. the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Vitra Design Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. He spent six years there (1960–1966), and collaborated on the design of the iconic Elna Lotus sewing machine. He then resigned to head the newly established design office of Lippincott and Margulies in London.