Designed by Peter Saville
Princeton Architectural Press, 192 pages, 2003
When I first saw that a retrospective book Peter Saville’s work was to be published over a decade ago I couldn’t have been more excited. It was Saville’s work that first opened my mind to the importance and power of commercial design as a teenager in the 1980s.
It was those striking album covers he designed for Joy Division, New Order and OMD that made me curious about design. Looking over those covers now, they still have as much impact as they did when they were first released. They don’t appear dated — a rare quality in the pop culture design world.
Designed by Peter Saville covers the artist’s work from 1978-2003. My interest is course primarily in his early work for Factory Records and for Manchester’s legendary Hacienda nightclub. But, oh there is so much more, and it’s a treat to see his ’80s fashion work for Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, his forays into installation art during that period.
While there is a lengthy interview with the man himself that offers the readers insight into his process and evolution as an artist and art director, the rest of the book is divided into essays, one to accompany each section of the book. The content is intellectual, yes, but not inaccessible. Even if, like myself, you are simply an admirer of his work, Designed by Peter Saville is a worthy addition to any 1980s library.
