Manchester’s creative DNA

Written By andy rowbotham

Manchester isn’t just music and football — it’s also home to some of the UK’s most influential designers and visual storytellers.

Legends like:
Peter Saville – Factory Records, Joy Division & New Order sleeves.
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Malcolm Garrett – Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, Simple Minds.
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Trevor Johnson – central to the Haçienda’s iconic visual identity.
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Mark Farrow – design for the Pet Shop Boys, Spiritualized, and more.
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Ben Kelly – the Haçienda’s interior + design genius.
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Central Station Design – unforgettable visuals for Happy Mondays, Black Grape, James.
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Kevin Cummins – the photographer who defined Manchester music with era-defining images.
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These names shaped how the world sees Manchester. They proved that design, photography and visual identity can define culture just as much as sound or sport.

At Morning Rain, we take inspiration from that tradition — aiming to bring the same mix of authenticity, boldness and cultural energy into the brands we work with today.

andy rowbotham
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