In the first half of the 20th century Raymond Loewy was the most famous industrial designer in the USA. He was born in Paris, France on 5 November 1893 - yes, another Sun in Scorpio type....in his case Sun conjunct Uranus - and it shows! Most of his professional life was spent in the USA. His designs dragged things, items in plain sight and every day use by almost everyone in the USA, into the then modern era, creating for them new streamlined, sleek and imaginative exteriors.
Sun conjunct Uranus more or less says it all for Mr. Loewy. A mention of Neptune conjunct Pluto in Gemini is appropriate too. This era, with two slow-moving planets, one relating to creativity, the other to power, both in Gemini, sign of communication and mental acuity, brought forth some iconic individuals in several spheres. This fact has long been a source of wonder to me, and it's good to find yet another of 'em.
From Wikipedia
An early accomplishment was the design of a successful model aircraft, which then won the Gordon Bennett Cup in 1908. By the following year he was selling the plane, named the Ayrel. He served in the French army during World War I, attaining the rank of captain. Loewy was wounded in combat and received the Croix de guerre. He boarded a ship to America in 1919 with only his French officer's uniform and $50 in his pocket.From: Raymond Loewy the Father of Industrial Design
In Loewy's early years in the U.S., he lived in New York and found work as a window designer for department stores... in addition to working as a fashion illustrator for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In 1929 he received his first industrial-design commission to contemporize the appearance of a duplicating machine by Gestetner. Further commissions followed, including work for Westinghouse, the Hupp Motor Company (the Hupmobile styling), (also the Studebaker "Champion" and "Avanti"), and styling the Coldspot refrigerator for Sears-Roebuck. It was this product that established his reputation as an industrial designer. He opened a London office in the mid-1930s. It is still active
He literally revolutionized the industry, working as a consultant for more than 200 companies and creating product designs for everything from cigarette packs and refrigerators, to cars and spacecrafts. Loewy lived by his own famous MAYA principle - Most Advanced Yet Acceptable. He believed that, "The adult public's taste is not necessarily ready to accept the logical solutions to their requirements if the solution implies too vast a departure from what they have been conditioned into accepting as the norm."Loewy retired at the age of 87 in 1980 and returned to his native France. He died in his Monte Carlo residence in 1986.
"It all must start with an inspired, spontaneous idea."
"The main goal is not to complicate the already difficult life of the consumer."
"I sought excitement and, taking chances, I was all ready to fail in order to achieve something large."
Raymond Loewy
Some of his best-known designs - more can be seen via Google Image.
