I am a London based designer, illustrator and author. I graduated from Reading University with a degree in Typography and Graphic Communication. Now a renowned cover designer as well as the author-illustrator of The Fox and the Star (2015) – the first picture book to win the Waterstones Book of the Year award – The Bird and the Worm (2017), The Song of the Tree (2020) and The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure (2023).
My book covers have been recognised by the AIGA (NY) and D&AD (UK) and have featured in a numerous international magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, Vogue and The Guardian. The work I do with Penguin Classics on the clothbound series attracts worldwide attention and harks back to the world of Victorian bindings and a golden age of book binding.
I has been commissioned by a wide range of clients including The New York Times, Fortnum & Mason, Waterstones, Corriere Della Sera, Diageo, Harper Collins, Just Trade, Princeton Architectural press, Booths, British Airways and Arts Council England.
In 2017 I received an honorary doctorate from Reading University.
I was shortlisted for Designer of the Year at the British Book Awards 2024.
Instagram: coraliebickfordsmith
Article: Clothbound Classics: how a Victorian-inspired books experiment broke the internet
Article: Meet literature’s new cover star
Article: Coralie Bickford-Smith: ‘I’m like a happy four-year-old with a picture’
Podcast: Talk Paper Scissors
Video: How To Become An Illustrator
Video: Work In Progress with Coralie Bickford-Smith
Article: An Interview with Coralie Bickford-Smith
Photograph by Stuart Simpson - www.stuart-simpson.com/
Select Talks
Evesham Festival of Words, June 2024
Toppings Bath in conversation, September 2023
Speaker at Oswestry Literary Festival, March 2016
An evening with Paul Barnes, Reading, March, 2016
Speaker at Book Court, New York, November 2015
Speaker at Designer thinkers, RGD, November 2015
Lectures at Malmö City Library & Rosengård Library, Sweden, May 2013
An evening with with myself and Robert Klanten, publisher of Gestalten, Berlin, April 2013
Speaker at the Type Directors Club, New York, December 2011
Speaker at Book Court, New York, December 2011
Speaker at Kirkdale Bookshop for the Sydenham Arts Festival, June 2011
Speaker at Glug Brighton, The Royal Pavilion & Museums, June 2011
Speaker at Penguin Day, Foyles, September 2010
Speaker at The Bookseller Cover Design Seminar, May 2009
Hosted a discussion group with Alan Trotter at Book Camp, Janaury 2009
Good Ideas in Design panellist on for PSFK, March 2009
Teaching elective projects at London College of Communication 2007-2012
Select Awards & Commendations
Society of Authors, The Queen’s Knickers Award, Shortlisted, 2024
Designer of the Year at the British Book Awards, Shortlisted, 2024
V&A Illustration Awards, Runner up, 2024
Yoto Carnegies Medal for Illustration, Nominated 2024
CLIP Kate Greenaway medal, Nominated 2021
The Times' Children's Book of the Week, 2017
The World Illustration Awards, Shortlisted, Book illustration, 2018
Nominated for The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, 2018
Waterstones Book of the Year 2015
The Academy Of British Book Design, Winner, children's, 2016
D&AD 2016, Graphite Pencil
V&A Illustration Awards 2016, Shortlisted
Oscar's Book Prize 2016, Shortlisted
Selected in Time Out’s 100 best children’s books
In book selection for D&AD awards for Branding Expression in Print, 2013
Shortlisted by the Dulux Let's Colourit Awards for best contribution to the arts, 2013
British luxury brand Mulberry championed the Penguin English Library
as part of Brilliant Britain, 2012
Judge on the D&AD Book design jury 2012
Mentioned in The New York Times design honours list, 2011
Selected as one of the rising stars in British Publishing by The Bookseller, 2011
In book selection for D&AD awards for Book Cover Design, 2011
Selected for inclusion in AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers, 2009
In book selections for D&AD awards for Book Cover Design, 2009
Winner of the British Book Design and Production Awards for Series Design, 2008
Shortlisted at the British Book Design and Production Awards for Best British Book, 2006
Exhibitions
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
18 September 2024 – 21 September 2025
The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure is featured in the Illustration awards display.
The V&A Illustration Awards is a free, biennial competition celebrating excellence in illustration and contemporary practice. The awards highlight a broad range of illustration styles and subjects. This display features the work of this year's winners and runners-up from each of the five categories; Emerging Illustrator, Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Illustration for Children, as well as Advertising and Commercial.
The William Morris Gallery, London
December 2016 – January 2017
The fascinating story of how The Fox and the Star was conceived and produced, with original illustrations and rarely seen proofs.
Malmö, Rosengård, Sweden
May 4 – October 31, 2013
The exhibition will be held at the Time box in the mansion.
Fully Booked: Berlin, Germany
March 14 – April 21, 2013
Exhibition around the release of the book Fully Booked - Ink On Paper: Design & Concepts for New Publications. A selection of books featured in “Fully Booked” will be displayed in an exhibition at our Gestalten Space in Berlin. The exhibition will be coinciding with the release of the book.
Book Design: Lisbon, Portugal
29th September – 25 November 2011
Solo exhibition as part of the portugal Experimentadesign Biennale. Curated by Luis Royal.
Gateways: Porto, Portugal
July 31st – September 2008
Held at the Silo-Espaço Cultural, NorteShopping. International book cover design. Over 400 cover designs by 53 designers from 14 countries.
The History of Penguin By Design: Victoria and Albert Museum, London
8 June – 13 November 2005
A display marking the 70th anniversary of Penguin Books, on show at the V&A. Exhibited around the UK and Asia – Beijing, Hangzhou and Seoul.
The European Design Show: The London Design Museum
28 May 2005 – 04 September 2005
Exhitbtion included two of my book covers. Hans Christain Anderson, Fairy Tales and Albert Camus, Summer in Algiers.