Holten (born in 1961) is a graduate of institutions including the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design and the Design Academy Eindhoven. He has worked for the Dutch architect Wiel Arets as an architectural designer, and for Artifort as the head of product development (1993-1998). He designed the DoDo in 1997, his first design for Artifort, which immediately won the prize for best Dutch Furniture Design 1998. Some of his other designs, such as Libel (2002) and Lotus & Low Lotus (2008) have also won prizes, receiving the award for Good Industrial Design. With his design studio named after himself, René Holten focuses on the furniture and bathroom fittings industries. Besides Artifort, his clients include Pullman (beds), Mosa (tiles), and Clou (bathroom fittings).