Jersey stamps scoop design equivalent of the 'Oscars'

Saturday 09 July 2016

A set of Jersey stamps have won what's been described as the equivalent of the 'Oscars' at one of the world's most prestigious design awards.

The six stamps, issued to commemorate the Battle of Britain, scooped top prize in the graphic design category of the D&EAD Awards (Design & Art Direction Awards).

Jersey Post’s Philatelic Production Coordinator Chris Elligott said: “Each year a panel of international judges selects what they feel are the best designs of the year and the standard really is world-class.

“The stamps were also shortlisted in the Design Week awards and have been selected to appear in the Creative Review annual, a publication which showcases stand-out creative work from around the world.”

The stamps were created by Hat-Trick Design (London) Ltd who have designed them to depict some of the key factors that helped Britain survive the Battle of Britain and helped form a springboard for allied victory in World War II.

Gareth Howat of Hat-Trick Design: “Our inspiration partly came from the iconic poster designers of the time such as Abram Games who designed such powerful and iconic images that resonate with that era.

“We set ourselves the challenge of creating all the graphic illustrations ourselves and not to rely on found imagery of the time. We also wanted to weave in the element of learning - by printing microprint text and working that into the designs on each of the stamps.

“To us, the D&AD Awards are the design equivalent of the Oscars, so it’s a real honour to be recognised. Similarly Creative Review and Design Week awards are judged by the best designers in the business, so the standard is extremely high. To have these stamps selected in all three awards is like a grand slam!”

You can pick up a set of the stamps from the Broad Street post office in St Helier.