Jeanette Winterson's phrases get a contemporary look within the new classic sequence
Jeanette Winterson was born in Manchester and raised a missionary by her parents. Over the past three decades she has established herself as one of the UK's most famous authors. It has been published in 18 countries around the world and has won numerous awards for its work over the years.
Penguin Overprint Vintage aims to introduce Winterson's words to a new group of readers by reinterpreting five of the writer's most famous works – Sexing the Cherry, Written On The Body, Art & Lies, The Powerbook, and The Passion.
With a plan to revive the paperback covers, Vintage originally hired a few freelance designers to work on the book, but the team quickly decided to change direction, the publisher's creative director Suzanne Dean told CR.
“We gathered a group of Jeanette Winterson fans inside Vintage. At the first group meeting we discussed their books and their readership. In response, I gave some instructions and brought everyone on board for a new approach, ”she says.
The team eventually landed on a collage-inspired aesthetic that draws on the themes of each book and is very different from previous editions. "The task was to respond to the text, taking into account the agreed mood board," says Dean.
“I needed the 'collage' to be playful and visually exciting. Each picture had to puzzle with others within the layout. It was more complicated than I first thought. Many images were exchanged in search of the magical combination. "
After designing the first two covers and creating the grid, Dean invited three members of the vintage design team, Rosie Palmer, Kish Rajani, and Etta Voorsanger-Bril, to record an illustration for each of the remaining three titles.
The end result is a fitting update for one of today's most important authors. "The designs feel fresh, modern and exciting and play with the ideas and concepts in their books," says Dean.
The series is published by Vintage Books