Students from London College of Communication have joined forces with iconic publisher Ladybird Books in a collaboration that will reimagine the brand in today’s world.
The exhibition of their work, which opens with a private view on Thursday 10 September, is the culmination of a six-month project in which illustrators, animators and graphic designers from LCC have collaborated to celebrate and reimagine Ladybird’s classic pocket-sized books for their centenary year.
A mix of both undergraduate and postgraduate students have explored how the nostalgia and heritage of Ladybird Books can be reinterpreted with contemporary relevance and creativity.
Work by Nicole McBean, 2015.
Lorenzo Davitti, an MA Illustration and Visual Media student explains “what we tried to do was to use a contemporary technical, which was digital animation, to try to capture the essence behind the whole publication.
Work by Luc Bernay, 2015.
“We didn’t really work on some specific topics. We wanted to work on what’s behind every single book. We had this feeling when we visited the archives that every single illustration was a masterpiece – there were no fillers.”
Work by Erin Carlin, 2015.
Work by Thierry Nahayo, Jennicka Sapigao and Beatrice Giovannini, 2015.
The creative heritage represented by Ladybird’s much-loved books is at the apex of the collaboration. Students were challenged to produce a forward-looking item – inspired by an optimistic age – that positions the brand in today’s landscape.
Work by Lauren Hackett, 2015.
Work by Laylah Amarchih, 2015.
Paul Bowman, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Illustration and Visual Media explains “this is an exciting chance for our students to interpret and compare important visual representations from the past with the cultural and societal concerns of today.
“Not only does this project with Ladybird give our students a glimpse into a world of visual beauty, the Ladybird archive has stirred us to look at and debate the world around us.”
Work by Jelena Ristic and Anabelle Alias, 2015.
Work by Saachi Mehta, Wajeeha Abbasi and Chandr Chandrvirochana, 2015.
Speaking about the project, Damian Treece, Brand Manager at Penguin Ventures, said:
“Establishing a relationship with London College of Communication during Ladybird’s centenary year was a high priority for Penguin Ventures. We wanted to partner creativity and innovation with a real commercial opportunity for students.
Work by Kae Fukushima, 2015.
“We have been blown away by their enthusiasm for vintage Ladybird and we very much look forward to seeing final designs exhibited.”