Design Virus

A couple of years ago, Rhino Records released "Hallucinations," a collection of 1960s pop-psychedelic tunes; the cover of the CD boasted a period photo of a woman clad in a polka-dotted wimple, posed before a polka-dotted background. Whenever I see a vintage image quoted like that, I wonder where it came from... but never find out. Thanks to British designer John Coulthart, though, this particular riddle has been solved.

Coulthart, noted for his own neo-psychedelic CD covers, posted an item today to his blog, called {feuilleton}, about "the viral nature of design" -- meaning the repeated use of motifs and styles from one designer and era to another, the breeding and proliferation of typefaces, and so forth.

He points out that the "Hallucinations" cover image was lifted from a 1965 ad in Mademoiselle for Pond's Fresh-Start cleansing gel.

Even better, Coulthart reminds us that the 1960s polka-dot fad was inspired by "Metamorphosis," a 1964 op art painting by British artist Bridget Riley.

Polka-dotted outfits have recently been revived by the British girl-group revivalist act, The Pipettes. This virus has found a new vector!