Born in the UK, he studied at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design before graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University with a degree in 3D Design. He went on to complete a Master's in Design Products at the Royal College of Art, London in 2005. Swan has won several awards, including the 10 Around Town competition for Sun Microsystems. As a finalist for Garrard Jewellers' Design Competition, he created innovative jewellery integrating precious stones and micro-electronics.
Based in London, Swan's work has been presented by Ron Arad and more recently OKAY Studio as part of exhibitions in London, Milan, Cologne, and Berlin. In 2005 his work gained interest from E&Y, Japan and consequently was installed in Tom Dixon's first architectural adventure, the Tokyo Hipster's Club. He has since been listed as one of "70 Designers that shaped the World".