MODE: A limited edition book of iconic Depeche Mode photography by Brian Griffin.
Agreeing to design a book of Depeche Mode album and band photography by Brian Griffin, provided a great opportunity for us to repeat the success of Black Country DADA, our previous collaboration. MODE hones in on the first part of the band’s career – a period where Brian was responsible for five album covers, including the famous image used on ‘A Broken Frame’.
Funding for the book came via a Kickstarter campaign that was directed at and promoted to the Depeche Mode fanbase. It exceeded the target by £20K (Depeche Mode fans aren’t known as ‘Devotees’ for nothing!)
It’s very much a fan’s book, including never before seen photographs from Brian’s archives, an interview with Brian by Simon Helm (Cold War Night Life) and material from the personal journals of Brian’s long-time creative collaborator, costumier and art director Roger Burton, recounting the surreal experience of shooting the video for ‘Only When I Lose Myself’ in LA in 1996.
We had a very clear ambition to make a book that not only did justice to Brian’s work but that was worthy of the support of the backers, giving them something solid, in print to treasure.
The book itself is a square format, replicating the album covers and has a formal, tightly structured layout with restrained typography. We wanted to reference an early to mid 1980s aesthetic without it feeling like a historical document or pastiche. Production values were all important – we had promised backers a beautiful book from the start – so a mix of Fedrigoni papers, cloth bound cover with inlaid image and silver foiling provide the package for Brian’s wonderful photographs. A deluxe version is available in a cloth bound clamshell box.
Printing was in the safe, talented hands of Pressision in Leeds who delivered exactly what we have come to expect from them.
A limited edition of 1150 books were printed and are now available for purchase here.
Links
The launch of MODE is at the Horse Hospital in London on Wednesday September 27.
Big Thanks to Will at Spinning Discs for letting us photograph MODE in store.
