Spring 2025
Editorial Eye 108
various designers
Rob Saunders
Henrietta Condak
Jon Gray
Pablo Martin
Spin
Dafi Kühne
Jannuzzi Smith
Over its first decade, the Letterform Archive has evolved from a private, personal collection to a public-facing institution that holds more than 100,000 objects and is growing fast. Yet its founder Rob Saunders, the subject of this edition’s Reputations, treats his mission – to inspire designers – with an admirable lightness of touch. He and his formidable team now acquire and make accessible these artefacts – from type specimens via commercial showcards to protest posters – while managing impressive education and publishing programmes. In parallel, the Archive supports the People’s Graphic Design Archive, which seeks out ignored and forgotten elements within design history.
Photo taken at the Letterform Archive by Maria Spann, see Reputations: Rob Saunders.
Not forgotten, but a little under the radar, Henrietta Condak’s body of work is a good example of what can be done while working in-house for a company that values design. Mubi’s story is that of a client / founder who understands the power of design and the effectiveness of letting talented teams get on with it. Jon Gray has made a strong impact in the tough world of commercial book cover design.
As we can see, what may appear like ‘branding’ and ‘marketing’ often has the more compelling dynamic of editorial design. When you have great content – music, cinema, literature – good design can follow.
Also in this issue: Dafi Kühne’s inspiring reinvention of letterpress; the identity of Czech design; and type reviews. Plus books, exhibitions and a documentary, reviewed in Uncoated. As a coda, designer Richard Smith movingly recalls the quiet effectiveness of the late print production guru Martin Lee in helping designers make the books of their dreams. JLW
John L. Walters, editor of Eye, London
First published in Eye no. 108 vol. 27, 2025
Mubi ‘triptych’. Creative director: Pablo Martín. See ‘Films on tap’.
Design by Henrietta Condak, see ‘Mistress of Masterworks’ by Elizabeth Resnick.
Design by Jon Gray, see ‘Jacket required’ by Robert Hanks
Eye is the world’s most beautiful and collectable graphic design journal, published for professional designers, students and anyone interested in critical, informed writing about graphic design and visual culture. It is available from all good design bookshops and online at the Eye shop, where you can buy subscriptions and single issues.