A new book charts the history of Black design

‘White patriarchy has dominated design for decades,’ says Charlene Prempeh. The founder of creative agency A Vibe Called Tech believes that Black creatives often get overlooked. 

To combat this, in her debut book, 'Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design' Prempeh seeks to highlight the major contributions of Black creatives over the past century. ‘People need to be aware of individuals that have had a huge impact on design. And the fact is that some of those individuals happen to be Black.’

'Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design' by Charlene Prempeh

Published by Prestel, Now You See Me! seeks to shift the global design canon which often erases and ignores Black creatives. ‘The goal was for people to read the book then go on a journey to better understand the work of Black designers and their relationship with society at large.’ Oozing with images, photographs, and illustrations, the 200-page publication is a compelling visual account of Black design history.

Carefully divided into three parts, the book covers key figures and cultural moments in Black Fashion, Architecture and Graphic Design. ‘I thought these would be nice entry points for a wider audience as they each speak to a mass audience, and I wanted the book to be as accessible as possible’ says Prempeh.

In the Fashion section, the book looks at the attire of first ladies touching on the incredible work of African American designer Anne Lowe. Here we also learn about the impressive polymath Zelda Wynn Valdes, the ever-stylish Dapper Dan and rising star Bianca Saunders. Striking photographs also help to bring the text alive as you peruse the chapter.

Meanwhile, in the architecture section, Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Diébédo Francis Kéré, American architect Paul Revere Williams and Ghanaian designer Joe Osae-Addo all make an appearance. Readers learn about the first African American woman to become a member of the American Institute of Architects, Norma Sklarek. Bookended with an interview with British artist, creative director, and founder of A-COLD-WALL* Samuel Ross, this chapter provides an informative guide to Black diasporic design.

The final part, Graphic Design, celebrates cartoonist Jackie Ormes, American artist Emory Douglas, and graphic designer Emmett McBain. Stylish film posters by Art Sims and colourful Sweet Georgia Brown labels designed by Charles Dawson are all on display here. This section also includes bold adverts, eye-catching comic strips, and powerful illustrations. According to Prempeh, many people know iconic fashion houses and pieces of architecture but not as many graphic designers, so this section was a welcomed entry in the book.

'Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design' gives Black people and their contributions to the creative industries the respect they deserve. In each of the three disciplines covered in the publication, Prempeh has masterfully captured notable moments in design history. ‘If you are interested in design, then you should be interested in the Black designers in this book.’ Smartly unpacking the complexities of being a Black creative, Prempeh has created a body of text that should be read by every designer across the globe.

'Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design' by Charlene Prempeh is available from Amazon