Encompassing the fields of architecture, graphics, industrial design, and interior design, this definitive account surveys design from the prehistoric era and the ancient world, through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution and Modern Movement, to our own digital era.

Design is the story of how all man-made things came into being; its history is as long as the history of humanity. A multidisciplinary approach to problem solving that has always uniquely reflected humankind’s aspirations, needs, and desires, design has both shaped and mirrored the spirit of our times.

The Story of Design is a multifaceted account that is truly comprehensive in its scope, introducing the styles, movements, theories, materials, processes, technologies, pioneers, and companies that have shaped every significant era of design. Contextualizing developments in design with regard to wider social, cultural, and political concerns, this is an indispensable overview of creative enterprise in the pursuit of more useful, more beautiful, more effective objects, tools, and products.

Through authoritative text, careful analysis, and hundreds of exquisite illustrations leading authorities Charlotte and Peter Fiell uncover the real importance of this unique yet all-encompassing creative activity, and assess its crucial role in the future of society.