Bridget Wilkins (1943–25)

An obituary for Bridget Wilkins who was an important female voice in the nascent study of design history as it emerged in the early 1970s. This overview sets out some key events in the formalization of the study of design history in the UK and Bridget’s unique contribution to graphic design research.

Contribution to knowledge
• To articulate the particular contribution Wilkins made to the shaping of the discipline of Design History and her sociological approach.
• To document Wilkins’s arguments for a distinctive approach to the study of graphic design history and her early introduction of integrated studio/theory models in teaching.
• To recognise Wilkins’s hands-on exploration of the impact of early digital technologies on graphic design practice through collaborative design-informed research.

Impact
• This article was published in the Design History journal and made available online allowing maximum access to the primary audience, offering enhanced insights into the origins of the DHS relevant for members and wider graphic design education networks.

• Publisher