A coffee table book by Robyn Lea featuring fashion designers' homes worldwide. The design sought to play with the idea of antique layered with modern, much like the interiors featured.
Scope
- Editorial Design
We were commissioned by Thames & Hudson to design This Creative Life. The book brings together Robyn Lea’s photography and intimate stories from the private spaces of fashion designers around the world. Rich, layered and full of detail, the imagery demanded a design approach that elevated the photography while reflecting the depth of Robyn’s work. We introduced colour throughout and a cloth spine to give the cover a sense of tactility and richness reminiscent of the interiors she captures.
We paired modern serif typefaces with subtle old-world cues, echoing the interplay of heritage and contemporary design seen in the homes. Each chapter opens with a full page of colour, setting the tone through a hue drawn from that story’s imagery. Robyn’s writing is evocative and immersive, so rather than minimise the text, we used a more generous body size to encourage a closer, more engaged reading experience.
The design honours the individuality of each home while uniting them in a coherent visual language. Colour, pacing, and materiality give the book its distinct voice, without overshadowing the photography. Working with Robyn Lea and the Thames & Hudson team brought a shared commitment to beauty, storytelling, and craft—qualities we believe the final book embodies.
