The second part of the exhibition explores his collaboration with fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto. At the beginning of the 1990s financial problems forced him to close his studio (Peter Saville Associates) and he became disillusioned with design.

Yohji Yamamoto

At the same time fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto shared the same feelings for fashion and assigned Saville as art director for his campaign and gave him total freedom over the creative output. The results proved a turning point for fashion publicity; though it was controversial at the time, the technique of using strong images as visual commentaries has now become commonplace.

Suede, Coming Up. Art Direction: Peter Saville, Photo: Nick Knight, Design: Howard Wakefield at the Apartment

With the advent of CDs, Saville became creatively frustrated with the limited space of the CD covers. He was approached by young bands who came to know his work through music they had listened to as teenagers, and to realise their own visions, not create one for them. Saville was happy to oblige, and produced work for bands such as Suede and Pulp.

More recently, he has been balancing two opposing work ethics ­ as a consultant for commercial work such as Selfridges, Pringle and Stella McCartney and as an artist with more experimental, personal work such as the ‘Waste Paintings’

Ever-changing with the times and adapting to new technology, this is a very inspiring exhibition a must for design students and pros alike.

The Peter Saville Show
Date: May 23th – September 14th, 2003
Open: 10:00 – 17:45 (Closed on Sunday)
Place: Design Museum
Address: Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD
Tel: +44 (0)20 7940 8790
https://www.designmuseum.org