Fred Lowen AM
Born in Germany in 1919 Fred escaped to Belgium in 1938 after Crystal Night. He entered England in 1940 via the Dunkirk evacuation and was interned and transported in ’true convict style’ on the Dunera to Australia where he was interned in Hay and Tatura.
In 1942 Fred was reclassified as a ’friendly’ enemy alien and was released for work as a fitter and turner. By 1945 he had started a small business as a wood turner selling salad bowls, platters and other items to gift shops.
A partnership with Ernest Rodeck saw the opening of FLER (a combination of the two partners’ initials). An interesting start to a business as Fred made woodware and Ernest made propelling pencils! But the partnership led to much bigger things and by 1948 FLER had entered the furniture market.
Fred completed a basic course in Furniture Design & Construction at Melbourne Technical College (RMIT) from 1949-50. He was joint managing director and chief designer of FLER and from mid 1964 took a sabbatical year to undertake Design Studies with Professor Herbert Hirche at Stuttgart Academy.
In 1966 FLER was taken over by Australian Controls and for two years Fred continued as Design Director of the company.
Selected by Robin Boyd, Fred was one of three designers who contributed special designs for the Australian Pavilion, Expo Montreal, Canada in 1967. In 1968 he left FLER to start up TWEN with Howard Lindsey. Known to us today as TESSA, the company has exported to many countries throughout the world since 1969.
His most notable awards include receipt of the Dunhill Design Award in 1970, the Sebel Design Award in 1972 and a Special Commendation in the Prince Phillip Design Awards in 1973. In 1974 three of his designs were included in the ’One Hundred Modern Chairs’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. These three and two other designs are now in the Permanent Collection of the National Gallery of Victoria.
Fred received the Advance Australia Award, for Outstanding Contribution to Furniture Design in 1981. In 1985 he received 5 ’Classic Designs’ Awards from the Industrial Design Council of Australia. In 1986 Fred retired from active work with TESSA and worked as a design consultant for the next four years.
In 1987 he was made a Member, General Division, Order of Australia (AM) for service to furniture design and manufacturing. Fred Lowen’s story is also chronicled in the Immigration Museum, as part of the Impacts display, which celebrates the contribution migrants have made to our industry and culture.
