Eight Decades of British Design
An essential read for any design lover’s bookshelf.
Eight Decades of British Design: Design Council, 1944 to Today
£39.95 (Hardback)
*Please note the last order date for delivery before Christmas is Friday, 19 December.
“A thorough portrait of what makes British design so special” – Elle Decoration
To commemorate our 80th anniversary, the Design Council presents the definitive volume of British design made in creative partnership with Liberty. This beautifully crafted hardback explores how the UK became a global design powerhouse, from Margaret Calvert’s iconic road signs and Vivienne Westwood’s punk revolution to the radical innovations of James Dyson and Zaha Hadid.
Featuring never-before-seen archival images and contributions from leading voices including Sir John Sorrell, Deyan Sudjic, and Priya Khanchandani, this volume offers an essential deep dive into 80 years of policy, innovation, and the enduring influence of British aesthetics on our world today.
Produced in line with our Design for Planet mission, the book has been printed in the UK using high-quality sustainable paper and foil stamping, a process that produces no emissions and is fully recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable.
Own the history. Celebrate 80 years of British design.
In creative partnership with Liberty
Each chapter of the book is beautifully punctuated with an evocative and colourful print from the Liberty archive, capturing the mood of the decade. An exclusive foreword celebrates their heritage as a British design icon, 150 years after the opening of their London store.
In partnership with the Modernist: Projecting British Design
£16.00
This book contains 100 images drawn from the Design Council's vast archive of over 22,000 photographic 35mm slides. Over time, the collection of luminous transparencies became a visual record of the Council’s evolving priorities – from consumer products to engineering and technological innovation. Many slides depict award-winning designs showcased at the Design Centre in London, alongside examples of international ‘good design’.
As interest in analogue photography resurges, this book celebrates the enduring beauty and significance of these slides in their original format.
