The Hall of Fame acknowledges the achievements of designers and industry figures in the middle of their careers who have already made a significant impact as well as those who have made a lifelong impact. You can see who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame in previous years, here.
Michael Johnson
After graduating from Lancaster University in 1985 Johnson worked for several design consultancies, including Wolff Olins and was based in London, Tokyo, Sydney and Melbourne.
In London he struck out on his own, setting up Johnson Banks with his business partner in 1992. The consultancy is still going strong in its 30th year.
With Johnson at the helm, the studio has forged a strong reputation for turning out work which offers a big idea communicated in a striking and easy to understand way.
He’s also known for authoring three popular books on problem solving and understanding branding in five-and-a-half easy steps. Meanwhile he’s been actively involved in design education for much of his career.
In this video interview there are tips for students and graduates as well as design business owners, plus Johnson reflects on some of the studios most successful projects.
Find out how the homelessness charity Shelter’s rebrand came together and why it lasted nearly 20 years, plus why it was important to create a brand for Cop 26, rather than a logo, as the eyes of the world were on the most important edition of the climate conference to date.
Es Devlin
Devlin graduated from Bristol University in 1993 with an English Literature degree before making the switch to fine art at Central St Martins and eventually discovering theatre design.
Her bold and immersive work for the stage saw her working on theatre productions in London in the late 1990s and by the end of the decade she was working with The National Theatre.
Her work captured audiences’ imaginations and brought them closer to performances. It is this essence, which she’s taken into stage designs for musical performers including Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and The Weeknd.
The common thread in her work has been ignoring the conventions of what a stage or a set should look like, and instead offering audiences a mood, a feeling or a reflection and inviting them to indulge in it.
With the eyes of the world watching, she captured the spirit of the London Olympics for its Closing Ceremony in 2012 and Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. There’s also been work for TV, film and fashion shows.
In this video interview we break down Devlin’s work to understand her process and get to grips with how her boundless imagination makes this kind of work possible.
You’ll also find out about the power of 400 trees to move people, the art and logistics of deigning a precise Superbowl show and how she encourages clients to be brave.
Hall of Fame