In the early summer, ginza graphic gallery (ggg) will present an expanded version of Identity Systems Germany: Rebranding West Germany after 1945. The well-received exhibition, which showed at kyoto ddd gallery in late 2024, focuses on how West Germany rebranded itself after World War II. 
　　In the early 20th century, the systematic design solutions used in modern corporate design were created by Peter Behrens and other designers in Germany. Later, the Bauhaus and, after the end of World War II, the Ulm School of Design followed up on these pioneering design principles. Conceived in Germany, the design trend shaped the image of postwar West Germany as a democratic state with a developed economy.
　　Sourced from the vast archives of the A5 Collection Düsseldorf—established by graphic designers Katharina Sussek and Jens Müller at vista design office in Düsseldorf—the exhibition introduces the systematic development of the design solutions that supported the astonishing progress in West Germany after Germany’s defeat in 1945. The valuable materials include design manuals, sketches and samples illustrating the design process, posters, and examples of the evolution of the visual identity that underpinned the rebranding of corporations and other entities.

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At the beginning of the 20th century, designers in Germany such as Peter Behrens created some of the world’s first examples of what later came to be known as corporate design. Later, the Bauhaus also incorporated systematic design solutions into its teachings. A few years after the end of World War II, West Germany followed up on the pioneering design principles of its past. The influential design school HfG Ulm and a number of young graphic designers shaped a new understanding of system design in the early 1960s.　Visual identities for the airline Lufthansa, the 1972 Olympic games and for many other companies, institutions and events were created. The economically prosperous country, which had returned to democracy, showed its transformed image with systematically developed design solutions that visually shaped everyday life. 
　　An exhibition includes selected posters documenting the corporate design projects and showing the use of visual identities. Further exhibits on the subject are the rare design manuals in which the original concepts were manifested. Unique original documents, including concept drawings and print samples, demonstrate the high quality of the handcrafted design work.