Peter Saville - skating on the thinnest of ice

I'd like to talk about Peter Saville.

I hope you've all heard of Peter Saville (if you're a graphic designer start nodding now). The thing is, I feel that any conversation about Saville has to be split into two distinct categories, Saville the man and Saville the work.

So here goes.

1. Saville the man.
I've never met him, but believe me I've been close enough. He even gave a lecture when I was at college, a long, long time ago. He is often at design events floating around like something from the 60's, smoking. For the record I think he's an absolute tosser. He talks gibberish, he has pretensions like a pop star diva and he accepted the job "Creative Director of Manchester" without bursting out laughing. However...

2. Saville the work.
... I think the work is bloody brilliant. OK - he has a particular style and he's only really suited to a particular type of job, but the work is lovely. Always really nice stuff. Always. He joined Pentagram but had to leave (probably because he's a tosser) and he routinely goes bust but the actual graphics are innovative, lush, exciting and different.

And that brings me to the whole point of this. He just designed the posters for Somerset House's Ice Rink again. And they are gorgeous. Really great to look at, festive in a contemporary way and best of all they are really different from all the stereotypical ice rink stuff out there.

This year's poster.

Last years poster.

Other, inferior, ice rink graphics.

There is a much better biography of Peter Saville here on Wikipedia and you'll find Saville Associates here.