Design

Peter Saville, a Cover Story

Remember the days when MP3S came in the shape of giant black discs stuck in paper sleeves? If you’re over 40, you’re most likely to have some Peter Saville artwork in your vinyl collection. Saville gave a visual identity to Factory Records, the legendary label from Mad-chester, famous for its bold creative choices and poor financial skills. Along with The Face typographer Neville Brody and poster boy Patrick Nagel, he created the look of the Eighties. His unconventional covers are total enigmas in music history, turning sleeve design into album art. “I like the idea of making things look better,” explains Saville in a Youtube interview. “Not to make people buy things. To me this is actually counter-productive.” Who said you can’t judge a book by its cover?