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Alain Gilles (1970–) is a renowned Belgian designer. Design was not his first calling: his university studies initially focused on Political Science, a discipline in which he graduated in Brussels. He then pursued a career in the financial sector for several years before deciding to change his life and move to France, where he earned a second degree at the Institut Supérieur de Design in Valenciennes—this time following his passion for Industrial Design. In 2007, after several years of collaboration with fellow Belgian designer Xavier Lust, he founded his own studio and began a series of successful partnerships with several major international design brands. The most significant and productive of these have been with the Belgian office furniture brand BuzziSpace and the Italian company Bonaldo, both of which quickly made him one of their leading designers. Winning the title of Designer of the Year in 2012 at the Interieur Kortrijk Fair opened the door to many new collaborations, including with brands such as Ligne Roset, Varaschin, Miniforms, XL Boom, Saba Italia, Vincent Sheppard, La Chance, and many others.