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IFA Paris’ Art Club: Journey of Discovery on Peter Saville, the Legendary Graphic Designer

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IFA Paris’ Art Club: Journey of Discovery on Peter Saville, the Legendary Graphic Designer

By May, 2019April 16th, 2022No Comments

In the early 1980s, between the new-wave style and modernist design, Peter Saville imposed his graphic style in the music industry. As a designer of innovative covers for the artists of Factory Records (in which he became a shareholder), the designer was quickly courted by the big names in fashion. From John Galliano to Yohji Yamamoto, from Stella McCartney to Umbro, he just created the new Burberry logo, under the guidance of the brand’s artistic director, Riccardo Tisci.

New Burberry logo by Peter Saville

New Burberry logo by Peter Saville

Peter Saville was born in Manchester and initially trained in graphic design at the University of Manchester Polytechnic. His style, minimalist as well as mysterious, will seduce artists like Roxy Music, New Order or Wham for more than 20 years. His commitment to fashion only starting at the early 2000s. With his photographer friend, Nick Knight, they founded the “SHOWstudio”, a multidisciplinary concept focused on art, advertising, communication and fashion.

The originality of this British genius’ work? Know how to adapt imagery vocabulary to its intended audience. His greatest strength? His ability to feel the emerging new currents. After redesigning Lacoste’s legendary crocodile to celebrate the brand’s 80th anniversary, refined Calvin Klein’s logo, Saville dusted Burberry’s logo.

This new visual identity is inspired by a 1908 logo originally designed by Thomas Burberry, the brand’s founder. More modern, more readable, Saville lays emphasis on the language of colours and the use of the builder’s monogram: the orange T’s, the white B’s, all on a beige background, all of the references are present… Doesn’t that remind you anything? The brand’s iconic Scottish tartan trench coat!