David Atkins Biography

David Atkins graduated in 1971 from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, earning a Diploma in Industrial Design.
In 1972, he worked as a staff designer specializing in glassware at Australian Consolidated Industries (Crown Corning Ltd) in Sydney.
In 1974, Atkins returned to Melbourne to continue his education, obtaining a Diploma of Education from the State College of Victoria.
Between 1975 and 1976, he attended Indiana State University as a design student, where he completed the design of the Neova II body and cockpit shapes.
By 1977, Atkins was back in Australia, where he worked as a product design consultant, focusing on furniture and lighting utilizing formed plastics and cast metals.
In 1979, Atkins joined George Patterson Pty Ltd Advertising Agency, contributing to several prominent Australian marketing projects, including those for Black & Decker, McCulloch, and Big M packaging.
In 1981, he became part of Peter Bayley Associates Aust Pty Ltd, where he worked on product development projects, including high-volume injection molding plastics and appliance styling.
In recent years, David has shifted his focus to designing, manufacturing, and marketing a high-end line of handmade jewelry, crafted from gold, sterling silver, and platinum. His modern designs often feature motifs inspired by Australian animals.
In 1983, Atkins founded David Atkins Design Pty Ltd, specializing in both consumer and commercial durable products. Renowned for his sophisticated styling, one of his most iconic designs was the Australian Telecom standard domestic touch phones, which were produced in millions. These phones remained in production until the early 2000s, when the market was overtaken by imported alternatives.
David continues to provide design services for Neoteric on an as-needed basis.