Jony Ive Designs 'Most Perfect Nose in History' for British Charity Comic Relief

Former Apple designer Sir Jony Ive has created a new-look red nose to celebrate Red Nose Day, the annual Comic Relief charity telethon broadcast on British television that aims to raise money for poor and disadvantaged people.

red nose day jony ive
The nose is made from 95% plant-based materials and has a folding paper design that starts out as a small, flat crescent that springs into a honeycomb paper sphere when opened, ready to sit on one's nose. It even comes with a little carry case.

The BBC's Newsround described Ive's design as "the most dramatic makeover since the red nose made its debut in 1988."

red nose day ive
To launch the nose, Comic Relief co-founders Richard Curtis and Sir Lenny Henry enlisted actress and comedian Diane Morgan to narrate a tongue-in-cheek short film.

In the short, Morgan compares the design to planet Earth, then hails the importance of "the perfect circle" before describing how the new model is "the most perfect nose in history."

HingeClose ive nose
When Ive left Apple in 2019, the British designer recruited at least four of his former Apple colleagues to join him at his LoveFrom design firm, which is responsible for the nose.

"We've grown up with Comic Relief and are proud to support their remarkable work," said Ive. "This new and seemingly simple Red Nose has been a fabulously complex little object to design and make and has involved our entire team. We hope it brings a little moment of joy to everyone who wears one."

ive red nose hinge detail 2

Money raised from the BBC appeal will support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food poverty. Last year's Comic Relief raised £42,790,147 ($52,735,219).

The new nose is being sold for £2.50 (about $3) on Amazon and the Comic Relief website, where orders are limited to eight per person ahead of this year's Red Nose Day on Friday, March 17. Donations can be made via Amazon Pay, with 100% of proceeds going to Comic Relief.


(Thanks, Alan!)

Top Rated Comments

gpat Avatar
9 months ago
I have to hand it to him, looks a lot more functional than his latest works at Apple.
It's never too late to find your true purpose in life.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
9 months ago
“Unapologetically nosey”
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MakeAppleAwesomeAgain Avatar
9 months ago
(PRODUCT)RED
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F23 Avatar
9 months ago
NosePod Mini
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The-Real-Deal82 Avatar
9 months ago

Sorry Jony but you can't lay claim to the design. As kids we had Christmas paper decorations that were exactly the same principle and we used to joke and put them on our noses.

At least you got rid of the notch
I don't think Ive is claiming he invented the folding paper technique mate and I haven't seen anything which suggests he has. This is a bit of fun for a good cause and a different spin on the 38 red noses that have been designed since 1985. I understand there is an element of dislike for Ive from Apple fanatics for some strange reason, but this is a British tradition that he knows well and I am glad he has taken part.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
9 months ago
Not thin enough
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...