The Story of Design

Charlotte Fiell's sweeping overview of design's eras — the movements, materials and pioneers — set against the social, cultural and political currents that shaped them. It reads design through the SDF's historical-social facet, taking seriously that design is a political act. The publisher describes design as a multi-disciplined approach to problem-solving that has always reflected humankind's aspirations, needs and desires. The book traces design's evolution from prehistoric times through the digital age, covering the styles, movements, theories, materials and practitioners that shaped it, and setting these developments against the wider social and cultural currents of each period. A review in World of Interiors praised the book for considering not just designed objects themselves but how they are made.