Malcolm Garrett was born in Northwich, England, and attended St Ambrose College. He studied typography at the University of Reading from 1974 through 1975 and graphic design at Manchester Polytechnic from 1975 through 1978.[1] A fellow student of Garrett's at Manchester Polytechnic was Peter Saville, a graphic designer who would also design prominent record sleeves in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Garrett's first important professional work was design for the punk rock group Buzzcocks. From 1978 through 1994, Garrett was the design director of Assorted iMaGes. His work there included "graphic identity, exhibition design, television graphics, and literature design." His work for musical artists included Duran Duran, Boy George, Simple Minds and Peter Gabriel. The sleeves that Garrett designed for Duran Duran (from 1981 until 1986) include: Rio, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, "Planet Earth", "Is There Something I Should Know?" and "The Reflex."

In the early 1990s Garrett was increasingly attracted to digital technology and in 1994 Garrett teamed with Alasdair Scott to form AMX digital (later called AMX studios), an interactive media production company. Garrett left AMX when that company merged with Zinc to form Arnold Interactive in 2001. He then worked at I-mmersion in Toronto, Canada art directing interactive cinema, but returned to London in 2005 where he is now Creative Director at AIG (Applied Information Group).
Garrett is a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI), and a Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts in London. He is Creative Director of dynamo london, the online showcase for the digital and interactive media industry in London.