The Designers Republic
The Designers Republic is a Sheffield-based design studio, founded in 1986[1] by Ian Anderson and Nick Phillips. They've since become a highly influential design studio, best known for their futuristic works, such as Wipeout, and building the brand identity for Warp Records. Their collaboration with Autechre spans from Incunabula to PLUS, although with a "break"[2] following Chiastic Slide, and ending with Quaristice.
History
Before The Designers Republic, Ian Anderson had become engrained in the Sheffield music scene, managing and working with various bands—which naturally lead him into design—having to create flyers for various gigs. This resulted in him being asked to manage the band Person to Person, for which he created the Designers Republic banner, both to take advantage of the Enterprise Allowance Scheme and as a necessity due to a conflict of interest in him being band manager and also designer.[3] After being asked to create the artwork for Chakk's 10 Days in an Elevator, he requested help from his friend Nick Phillips, with whom he created the artwork for Age of Chance's, their indie success provided tDR with wider recognition, and consequently work for Pop Will Eat Itself.[4]. It was also at this time that they created the brand identity then-nascent Warp Records.
Their rising popularity in the design world lead them to work with various large-scale entities in the late 90's and early 2000's, such as the aforementioned Wipeout, Coca-Cola, Gatecrasher, Emigre, Channel 4, Nickelodeon,[5] Pulp,[6] and various others.
Changes in the music industry, large-scale copying of their style and mismanagement meant that in 2009, The Designers Republic would go into voluntary liquidation, emerging as a "leaner operation" since.[7][8][9]
Relationship with Autechre
work in progress
Autechre has a long-standing relationship with The Designers Republic and Ian Anderson.
References
- ↑ https://www.thedesignersrepublic.com/about
- ↑ https://www.thedesignersrepublic.com/quaristice
- ↑ Anderson, Ian (2023) A to Z of The Designers Republic,, Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0500027356, p.10
- ↑ Anderson, Ian (2023) A to Z of The Designers Republic,, Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0500027356, p.12
- ↑ Anderson, Ian (2023) A to Z of The Designers Republic, Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0500027356, p.284
- ↑ Anderson, Ian (2023) A to Z of The Designers Republic, Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0500027356, p.366
- ↑ https://www.creativereview.co.uk/the-designers-republic-is-dead-long-live-the-designers-republic/
- ↑ https://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/reputations-ian-anderson
- ↑ Anderson, Ian (2023) A to Z of The Designers Republic, Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0500027356, p.17