Not only am I currently obsessing on Paul Weller’s early nineties, post-Style Council solo output (which is 2 decades old—scary!), I’m also re-appreciating his consistently good taste. The music leads to the visuals, so I couldn’t help but notice that everything Weller-related just Looks. So. Good. Even, or perhaps especially, all these years later.
While all sorts of crap was designed in the eighties, and that period revisited the fifties for the most part in a really scary way, Paul Weller worked with art directors and photographers who looked at modernism, and who created some remarkable print. In visuals, as in his music, Weller is one of those artists who have always been lightyears ahead by looking back. I can’t think of any other band using Bodoni on album cover art in that decade.

Above left: The Jam in the 1970’s, above right: The Style Council in the 1980’s

The Guardian may have called Weller and bandmate Mick Talbot “teetotal vegetarian socialists with a weakness for colourful knitwear,” (Is that supposed to be an insult?) but I think it’s safe to say that most fans were, and are, in awe of Weller’s sense of style. When an interviewer for The Telegraph asked him what really defines him, Weller responds “It’s always clothes and records. That’s how shallow I am.” Which is great, because he likes to talk about clothes and records in interviews, but sadly nobody ever asks him about translating all this musical and sartorial taste to graphics. He does take partial design credits on most covers, after all, so it must interest him.

Above: The Jam: Beat Surrender cover art

From an interview in The Independent, where Sir Paul Smith interviews Weller:
PS: you’ve had so much style and been so well-dressed for years, I wonder, where does it come from? From inside you, or was there an uncle who was a whizz-kid dresser?
Paul Weller: It’s always been just part of the culture. Growing up, for most working-class kids, is all about football, music or clothes. You might not have much money, but whatever you have got, you’re going to look good.
PS: That’s how you felt from the start?
PW: As a kid, I remember being knocked out seeing those kids in 1960s bands, the way they dressed. Then the late-Sixties skinhead and suedehead thing; how immaculate everything was.

That portrait on Internationalists just kills me. So smart.

Above right: note the font choice on Shout To The Top!…in the eighties!

Easy does it: The Style Council demonstrating once again that less is more, if you know what you’re doing.

In terms of cover art, the good design started with The Jam (see Beat Surrender cover above), kept going throughout the Style Council (just look at that amazing portrait photo on the cover of Internationalists) , and it certainly didn’t stop when Weller went solo. For Stanley Road (1995) Weller asked British Pop artist Peter Blake to design the cover; amazing.
As I am writing this, there is a one-off Mini Cooper up for auction, decorated with supergraphics by Weller. The Mini, covered in wide bubblegum and chocolate stripes, will raise money for War Child and a local music education charity.

Above: The Peter Blake painting for Stanley Road, above right: Weller on a Peter Blake-designed Vespa

If you never got into the solo albums when they came out, do yourself a favor and get “Paul Weller,” “Wild Wood,” and “Stanley Road.” When nobody was touching mid-seventies rock and folk with a ten-foot pole, Weller nailed it. As always, fifteen years ahead of the curve.

Links:
>Paul Weller’s site
> A 2008 interview in the Telegraph. He talks about clothes and music…of course.
>Sir Paul Smith interviewing Weller for The Independent
>The Observer: Soundtrack of my Life / Paul Weller

Anything Deutsche Grammophon reminds me of growing up, and of having a lot of classical music on vinyl around.
In fashion, any old brand has jumped on the “heritage” bandwagon. From St. James, Clarks, Hunter and Barbour, to Petit Bateau, Pendleton and even LL Bean. The message, ad nauseum, is that what was once a sleepy world of merch for nerds and people who want to be left alone, is now the hippest thing on Earth. Which is sad because it spoils things, and the lameness will eventually seep into, and spoil, other categories.
Thankfully an old record label doesn’t have to operate on that level of hip neediness, and feel the need to reposition itself as heritage – yet. And that way the cover art can be nerdy and beautiful without being arch or ironic. I can look at these gorgeous Martha Argerich covers and feel pure nostalgia. Not nostalgia tainted by marketing.
(The music helps, of course.)

Alia is an illustrator/designer/photographer (mmm…sound familiar?) with her referential feet firmly planted in the late sixties and early seventies. She’s just doing her own thing—and tapping in to friends who look good and who make great stuff or do interesting things (sound familiar?).
She was listed on the masthead of Arthur Magazine as the Psychedelic Healing Visions Correspondent, and Paper Magazine declared Alia one of 2009’s “Beautiful People.”

As soon as we find ourselves on the same coast, I’ll take her portrait and we’ll do a Portraits/People interview. In the meantime I asked her to give me a little background info on three photos of hers which I particularly like.
(All images below: © Alia Penner)

Above: Bandstand
Alia: “This was the first story I created as the Fashion Editor at Arthur Magazine. It was
called Bandstand, and starred my dear friends, The Entrance Band. I painted
backdrops for the shoot, a Pollock cloudy blue sky, which we hung from the
shack in the backyard of their Laurel Canyon home. I had my eyes peeled
for all things red, white and blue before the day of the shoot. I was still
deciding on a setting for Derek the drummer when we went to visit Devendra
Banhart while he was recording in the canyon. This kit was sitting in a
room with big windows and it was like a dream come true.”

Above: Summer Lover
Alia: “I grew up in Topanga Canyon and there is a trail where I spent most of my
time playing in the creek and riding horses with my sister. My favorite tree
in the whole world lives at the center of the trail, and for a music video
shoot for Lavender Diamond, my Cinematographer wizard of a father hung a
RED camera out of it. This photo was taken for a show called Summer Lover,
and the model is Derek’s girlfriend Katie. There is a beautiful hall of
branches and vines leading to this spot and just through them you can see
all of the Santa Monica mountains.”

Above: Rainbow Run
Alia: “This is one of the most magical dresses in the world, created by the
amazingly talented designer MissKK. We did this photo shoot at my house in
Mt Washington, it was the perfect time of year. Up the street was a jungle
cave of vines and down the street was a field of golden grass and above
was a beautiful blue sky. I love how the dress flows and really
embodies all the elements; she really looks like she could fly. Hopefully
KK will get to make more of these cosmic creations as soon as possible,
the world needs more beauty like this.”

Links:
> Alia Penner
> Arthur Magazine
> The Entrance Band
> MissKK

Vogue Italia. Cover by Steven Meisel, Linda in a site-specific installation by Adam Cvijanovic.
See full interview with Adam >here<

Check out this short, three-part documentary by Federico Muchik, about Adam and the creation of his 2008 installation” Colossal Spectacle”:
Adam Cvijanovic’s Colossal Spectacle, Part 1
Adam Cvijanovic’s Colossal Spectacle, Part 2
Adam Cvijanovic’s Colossal Spectacle, Part 3

I think the designs date to the 90’s, because they’re really similar to a lot of his work in the Japanese publication >Gas Book 11<.
The copy on the text poster is literally pulled from a (’90’s) Wikipedia entry on Animal Rights, which is why it sounds borderline awkward. I’ve gotten these for friends and clients, so obviously I love ‘em. They are part of many posters published as part of Mills’ >Humans< project. As you can see, there’s a whole bunch of animal-rights-ish themed posters.

Since man -sadly- seems to be in his toddlerhood when it comes to existing without being a destructive force to anything non-human, I thought the one-month anniversary of the BP Oil Spill was a cute occasion to showcase the following children’s book.

In 1972, when I was a little hippie toddler myself, Macmillan published ABC of Ecology, with words by Harry Milgrom, Director of Science, New York City Public Schools, and photographs by the super talented, renowned writer/illustrator Donald Crews (bio), who also designed this book.
Crews, who was inspired by Bruno Munari and Paul Rand early on in his career, also created We Read: A to Z (check it out here), which is another exceptionally beautiful, minimal and not-cute-in-a-good-way children’s book.

Here’s a selection from the very au courant ABC of Ecology.
(For an updated version I suggest G is for Genetic Patents, I could either be for Imported Species or for Insecticides, and S is for Space Debris)

A selection of images from the collaborative series The Magic Hour.
Conceived, cast and styled by Gerald DeCock, and shot by Sam Bassett, between sunset and twilight on the roof of the Chelsea Hotel over the course of one year, using only available light.
See my Portrait of and interview with Gerald >here.<
© Gerald DeCock / Sam Bassett

Above: Profile Rouge

Above Left: Ode to Hiawatha. Above Right: Ghost of James

Above: Spaceman

Above: Resplendent Afternoon

>Link: Gracious Vigilantes

And the prize goes to…hippies—all hippies, “for the exuberant use of color as a playful aspect in human society, making a real contribution to the integration of color and space.” In a genius, conceptual move, the forward-thinking Dutch Sikkens Foundation awarded its 1970 namesake prize to no-one in particular but rather to a mentality, to the spirit of open-minded inquisitiveness.

Willem Sandberg (1897-1984), one of my favorite graphic designers — who also happened to be the director of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam — was apparently even more forward-thinking than the Sikkens Foundation.
His beautiful design for a poster (creatively completely in sync with the spirit of that year’s award) was deemed unacceptable and never used, which prompted Sandberg to resign from the Sikkens board. I think they should still print it, if only to redeem themselves. When Sandberg designs something for you, you don’t turn it down. At least they have a little thumbnail of the image on their site now.

Previously, the paint and varnish manufacturer awarded, amongst others, Rietveld (in 1959), van Itten (in 1965) and Judd (in 1993) for the way they integrate color into their work, so it makes total sense that thirty-seven years later, Dutch artist Krijn de Koning wins it. In recognition of his art “in which color and form, as well as feeling and atmosphere evoke a sensory experience of space

I guess it proves that, even though a documentary was devoted to her, and even though American Apparel is using her to death, Helvetica isn’t going anywhere. We still like her, especially flush left, where she’s always comfortable.
And it’s funny that this all came in the mail at once, because I just used H again myself for Demisch Danant Gallery which I’ll post soon.
Check this out:
1-A very nice, heavy stock invitation with RSVP card from the Storefront for Art and Architecture. The names are in copper foil. Nice touch. Designed by Neil Donnelly
2-New York Magazine, April 12, 2010. Also lots of H inside.
3-An invitation from Reed College for a show of a decade of Terry Winters’ prints. It’s printed on recycled paper and folds open to become a poster. I like it a lot. No designer credited.