Words by: Sophie Webb

The broad spectrum of packaging design spans over many different genres and time frames. Packaging itself not only serves a purpose to sell a product but is now frequently taking on the characteristics as small and innovative pieces of modern art.

Package Design Now! (Gisela Kozak and Julius Wiedemann, Taschen) is a font of resource for all modern packaging designs. There is no consumer product which has been left unexamined in this book, ranging from food stuffs, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods and 21st Century gadgetry.

This book proves a thorough visionary analysis of packaging from many world-renowned brands, interestingly interspersed with new and unfamiliar foreign products. But this is more than just a brief insight into design success stories. The artistically elegant presentation of each packaging design featured, represents small ever changing pieces of modern art in a demanding consumer age.

Each chapter is as visually exciting as it is interesting, in particular, ‘Food’ which provides the most tantalisingly tasty visual treats, featuring package designs from many a British institution including concepts from Marks & Spencer and Selfridges.

This guided reference also questions the accessibility of packaging. What works? What doesn’t? Such arguments are addressed when packaging is featured and this book cleverly provides a range of case studies, focusing on the triumphant and not-so well conceived designs, whilst also studying design requirements and consumer needs.

Package Design Now! is encyclopaedic in its knowledge on package design. The sharp photography and the book’s simplistic design and layout deserve commendation. Despite being primarily centred on modern design for consumer driven purposes, it possesses many characteristics of a study on modern art, and proved stimulating reading for a more artistically minded reader who possessed no prior design knowledge before encountering this title. There is a hugely satisfying feeling on reading a text anyone would find ease in relating to.