23 Envelope was the team of Vaughan Oliver (graphic design and typography) and Nigel Grierson (photography), who designed the artwork for almost all 4AD releases until 1987.
Oliver and Grierson met in their late teens, as school boys, at Ferryhill Comprehensive, County Durham. Their friendship began in the art room, chatting about their mutual passions for art and rock music. For both of them, designing album covers was a natural ambition. “Record sleeves,” says Grierson, “seemed like the greatest thing you could possibly do.”
