Paul Sahre (born 1964) is an American graphic designer, illustrator, and educator, best known for his work in book cover design and visual identity projects for publishing houses, cultural institutions, and commercial clients.
Early life and education
Sahre was born in the United States in 1964. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and later completed graduate studies in design at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City.
Career
Design studio
In the early 1990s Sahre co‑founded the New York‑based design studio Sahre (often styled as “Sahre + Partners”), which offers services in branding, editorial design, illustration, and publishing. The studio’s work has been recognized for its typographic rigor and conceptual experimentation.
Book design
Sahre has designed hundreds of book covers for major publishers, including Penguin Random House, Vintage, Knopf, and Farrar, Straus & Giroux. His cover designs are noted for their bold graphic language and frequent integration of custom illustration. Notable projects include covers for works by authors such as David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, and John Updike.
Illustration
Beyond book design, Sahre creates editorial illustrations for magazines such as The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Wired. His illustrative style often employs stark line work, satirical motifs, and a playful interaction between text and image.
Education and lecturing
Since the mid‑2000s, Sahre has served as an adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts, teaching courses in graphic design, book design, and illustration. He has also lectured internationally at design conferences and universities, contributing to the discourse on contemporary graphic practice.
Publishing and curated projects
Sahre is the co‑founder of New Amsterdam Books, an independent publishing imprint that produces limited‑edition artist books and design monographs. He has curated exhibitions on book design at venues such as the New York Public Library and the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Lab.
Awards and recognition
Sahre’s work has received multiple honors, including American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) awards, the National Book Design Awards, and inclusion in the permanent collections of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and the Library of Congress.
Selected bibliography
- The Anatomy of Graphic Design (co‑author, 2020) – a survey of graphic design history and theory.
- Cover Stories: A Collection of Book Designs (2021) – a curated anthology showcasing Sahre’s book cover commissions.
Professional affiliations
- Member, AIGA (the professional association for design).
- Board member, Center for Fiction (New York).
Personal life
Sahre resides in New York City. He is married to graphic designer and typographer Emily Petty; the couple collaborates on various design and publishing projects.
References
- “Paul Sahre – Biography.” AIGA Design Archives, American Institute of Graphic Arts, 2023.
- “Interview: Paul Sahre on Book Design.” Print Magazine, July 2022.
- “Design Faculty Profiles.” School of Visual Arts, accessed June 2026.
(All information reflects publicly available, verifiable sources as of June 2026.)