Macmillan Publishers

THREADS OF EMPIRE

Studio Duco was commissioned by Macmillan Publishers to create the cover illustration for Threads of Empire, a fascinating book by Dorothy Armstrong exploring the history of empires through the stories of twelve remarkable carpets.

The book traces the journeys of these historic textiles across different cultures and centuries, revealing the people, places and political forces that shaped their creation and the world around them.

For the cover, we brought together decorative elements inspired by the carpets themselves, combining intricate patterns, ornamental motifs and rich colours into a layered composition. The challenge was to capture the extraordinary craftsmanship of these textiles while creating a cohesive design that would work as a contemporary book cover.

Using our distinctive etching-style illustration, we developed an artwork that celebrates the beauty and complexity of traditional carpet design, while reflecting the wider historical stories woven into each piece.

It was a wonderfully interesting commission, bringing together our love of historical illustration, decorative detail and storytelling in a single cover.

Cover Illustration | Studio Duco