My Breakthrough Moment: Clay Hickson
The illustrator discusses the joys of “intentionally not online” projects and how starting a monthly newspaper scratched a very specific creative itch
My breakthrough moment: Elizabeth Goodspeed
The designer shares the story behind her first solo branding project – which channeled the Tupperware parties of the 70s – and how it kickstarted a philosophy of “radical client honesty”
My Breakthrough Moment: Doug John Miller
The architecturally trained artist discusses how his first commercial commission gave him the chance to explore an obsession with the futuristic cityscape of Chicago
My Breakthrough Moment: Maira Kalman
The illustrator and writer discusses how, already 30 years into her career, a commission from the New York Times for a column called Principles of Uncertainty opened up a myriad of new possibilities
My Breakthrough Moment: Dean Chalkley
“Photography can be a thing unto itself. It’s more than documentation.” Dean Chalkley discusses how his 2005 portrait of Noel Gallagher marked a personal turning point in terms of culture and photography
My Breakthrough Moment: Simon Buckley
“I wanted to be Ultravox, but sometimes I worry I’ve ended up like Joe Dolce.” Simon Buckley’s photograph of Manchester in the rain became a viral sensation in 2019. He explains what happened next
My Breakthrough Moment: Kevin Cummins
Having shot some of the biggest bands in the world and worked as the NME’s chief photographer for a decade, Kevin Cummins reflects on why his 2009 book Manchester: Looking For The Light Through The Pouring Rain marked a distinct turning point in his career
My Breakthrough Moment: Benedict Redgrove
In this series we ask leading creatives to talk about what kickstarted their careers. Here, photographer Benedict Redgrove talks about the significant projects that made him realise the value in his work
My Breakthrough Moment: Flo Ngala
Fresh from her BTS shots of internet-breaking music video WAP, Flo Ngala discusses how an early commission to photograph Cardi B helped her earn her stripes as the artist’s go-to photographer for everything from the Met Gala to her daughter’s first birthday party
My Breakthrough Moment: Jon Burgerman
In this series we ask leading creatives to talk about what projects or events kickstarted their careers. Here, artist Jon Burgerman, who has a fondness for googly eyes, talks about how his move to New York City led to a breakthrough in his practice
My Breakthrough Moment: Photojournalist Alex Majoli
At 22, Alex Majoli embarked on his first photobook, Leros, shot in a notorious insane asylum. As Mack Books publishes his new book Scene, he reflects on the photographs that made him
My breakthrough moment: Annie Atkins
Annie Atkins tells us about the props that started off her illustrious career as a graphic designer for film; those delicious ‘millennial pink’ Mendl’s boxes that enjoy a lot of screen time in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel