How to live with a designer without killing them
Designers and their many neuroses are the subject of a new book by Alan Long, who was inspired to write it after his wife “kept on telling [his] friends how
Museum of Failure: the exhibition exploring brands’ biggest “f*ck ups”
We delve into a new museum in Sweden which is archiving global innovation and design failures spanning from the 17th century right up to the present day, including the Segway
Can Graphic Design Save Your Life? asks Wellcome Collection's new exhibition
London’s Wellcome Collection is set to open a new show examining the relationship between design and the medical world, showing how graphics has had a pervasive influence.
Why are fewer students taking on art and design at university?
The latest figures from UCAS show 17,000 fewer students have chosen to take creative subjects this year compared to 2016. Designers and academics tell us why this has happened.
General election 2017: a look at UK political campaign designs
In light of the election set to take place next month, we look at how the main political parties are attempting to win over voters through their branding and campaigns.
Brexit: the effect of Theresa May's EU exit plan on designers
On 13 March, Parliament passed the EU Withdrawal Bill, meaning the Brexit process will definitely begin at the end of this month. While Theresa May’s Brexit plan aims to be
The Glass Room: the exhibition uncovering the hidden side of our online lives
The new exhibition from non-profit tech organisations Mozilla and Tactical Tech looks at how our personal data is used and sold by companies on a daily basis, and offers visitors
Women are studying design – so where are all the female creative directors?
In her first column, Kerning the Gap founder Nat Maher looks at how female designers face career progression challenges and lack of exposure – an inequality that was revealed to
Milan Design Week 2017: products, exhibitions and festivals to see
From Ikea’s Let’s Make Room for Life festival, which reimagines modern day, urban living, to Alessi’s window display installation paying tribute to the late Zaha Hadid, we round up the
V&A set for blockbuster Pink Floyd exhibition
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and Nick Mason have been brought together with the designers who helped define the visual language of the band ahead of a V&A show, which is set
Why brand names are the new logos
Brand consultant Emily Penny asks ‘what’s in a name?’ as she looks at how following a fallow period of being overlooked by symbols, brand names are now experiencing a renaissance.
10 people who made an impact on design in 2017
Calling out sexism, making hospitals happier places to be and reviving classic designs through crowdfunding; we honour the people who have made a difference to the industry over the last
“When I looked at my sent emails, I knew I was fired”: designers’ biggest mistakes
Last week the Museum of Failure opened in Sweden, which is archiving global design and innovation failures including the Segway and a frozen beef lasagne from Colgate. We ask designers
Remembering Jon Daniel: 1966-2017
We look back on the life and work of the Design Week columnist, independent creative director and social activist “who helped put black participation on the political map”.
Remembering Alan Aldridge: the revolutionary graphic designer of the “swinging sixties”
Aldridge, who has died aged 73, created outrageous, psychedelic illustrations, books and album covers for the likes of The Beatles, The Who, Elton John and Penguin’s science fiction titles. We
Design versus strategy – a war of the worlds
Offthetopofmyhead founder and creative director John Spencer considers the tensions between designers and strategists and why they ought to get along better.
Sexism in design: “I have been cowed, intimidated and embarrassed”
Allegations around harassment scandals are rife, with Westminster and Hollywood currently under fire. We ask female designers to discuss their experiences of sexism in the workplace.
“We’re on a mission to show what graphic design can do”
Can Graphic Design Save Your Life? is a new book published to accompany the exhibition currently on at London’s Wellcome Collection. We speak to co-editor Lucienne Roberts about the power
The university project that led to the discovery of a long-lost Albanian alphabet
As Kosovan Masters student Edon Muhaxheri publishes his thesis on a forgotten Albanian alphabet from the 19th century, we speak to him about reimagining it as a digital font and
How to thrive as a freelance designer
As part of a special focus on freelance designers, we share advice from industry figures such as Emily Forgot and Ben Tallon on how to be successful as a freelancer.
Poster Girls: “Women in graphic design have been criminally neglected”
A new exhibition at London Transport Museum celebrates the wealth of “unknown” female designers who have created transport posters over the last 100 years.
Being acquired: why big brands are buying design studios
Sean O’Connor, partner at Smart Design, looks at why more and more companies are integrating design into their businesses through buying consultancies or investing in in-house teams, and weighs up
Freelance State of Mind: creativity in London will soon become endangered
Columnist and freelance illustrator Ben Tallon talks about how designers and other creative professionals are being priced out of London – and this is to the capital city’s own detriment.
Designers’ explorations of colour and its effect on people's moods
Last week, an exhibition at the Design Museum opened exploring Hella Jongerius’ research into the subjectivity of colour. Now, we ask designers to tell us about when they’ve consciously chosen
Designers consider the best examples of branding without a logo or wordmark
Jean Jullien helped Majestic Wines brand a range of wine, which only feature illustrations. “What is your favourite example of branding without an obvious logo or wordmark?”