Born in 1957, Matthew Hilton studied at Portsmouth College of Art and then at Kingston Polytechnic. After graduating he worked for Capa as an industrial designer and model maker. He then set up his own design studio/workshop in 1984.

Matthew Hilton doesn't believe in design movements, and he really doesn't like the concept of design as a fashion. Rather, he thinks the design process is part of the evolution of any object through history. Designing with the end user in mind, and whether that means a household of ten or one, he takes pleasure in finding the fluid, easily adaptable solution to fit today's domestic spaces.