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06/02/2026

Famous designer James Sommerville celebrates his former college

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College alumni James Sommerville recently celebrated the institution that helped start his career with a celebratory video on his Instagram page.

James studied Graphic Design and Typography between 1982 and 1986 and used the knowledge and skills he created here to start a lucrative career as a designer.

On the video, James added: “The best ideas last a lifetime. This one is already at 200 years. Without Kirklees College, no ATTIK. No Coca-Cola. No Known Unknown. No KDP. No 40-year design career. From chalking on UK pavements to redesigning global brands. Happy 200th Birthday to my art college.”

About James Sommerville

James was just 19 and straight out of art school when he and fellow student Simon Needham secured a £2,000 grant from The Prince’s Trust to set up their own design agency.

Huddersfield-born James set up his first design agency, ATTIK, in the attic of his grandmother’s home in Paddock. It grew to become one of the UK’s most respected design firms before it was sold in a multi-million dollar deal.

James later went on to become Vice President of Global Design at The Coca-Cola Company.

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