He studied industrial design at the Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London. After graduating, he worked under Ettore Sottsass in Milan, working in the commercial department of the Sottsass studio, designing retail spaces. Taylor was invited by Sottsass to join Memphis in 1981, creating ceramic works the, most notably, the Piccadilly lamp, a design enduring for its architectural quality and playful, confident presence. In the late 1980s, Taylor returned to London to head his own design agency in London, working with the likes of retail stores, hotels, Knoll and Sony. He also serves as the creative director of Orangebox, which produces progressive office systems, and he writes and gives talks internationally about product design and the workplace environment.