Design Council Slide Collection
A wide-ranging visual record of British design from 1945 to 1990
Overview
This collection of more than 22,300 different images provides a unique insight into British design and its promotion in the period following the Second World War. The Design Council is the UK’s national body for the promotion of the value of good design. It was established (as the Council of Industrial Design) in 1944 as part of the British government’s planning for post-war reconstruction.
The Design Council Slide Collection reflects the changing scope, policies and ethos of the organisation and contains many unique images that record the Council’s various activities and initiatives.
Image: Prototype electric bicycle designed by B. G. Bowden, 1946 © Special Collections Museum
The majority of images show products of various kinds, including:
- tableware, furniture, lighting, domestic appliances and toys
- textiles and wallpapers
- office equipment
- engineering components and machinery
- architecture and town planning/urban design
- interior design
- graphic design and corporate identity
There are also images that record the Design Council’s annual award scheme, exhibitions (such as ‘Britain Can Make It’ in 1946) and involvement in projects such as the Festival of Britain (1951).
You can search more than 13,000 images from the Collection via the VADS website using the Search link below. The physical slides can be viewed in person in our Reading Room by making an appointment. If you’d like to bring your students to see some of the slides, enquire about a group visit.
Access the collection
Photography and copyright
You can photograph our collections for personal study and research only. Just ask for a Photography Permission Form when you visit.
If you’re not able to visit us in person, we may be able to send you a scan or photograph of the item instead.
Contact us if you need an image for use in social media, print or online publication, or commercial purposes.
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