Celebrating trailblazing women in design

Women in design have more influence on visual culture today than ever before. But too often, the women responsible for iconic designs still remain unseen.

Representation in leadership across the creative industry remains painfully low, and data pulled from our latest Design Without Borders survey (with input from 10,000 designers) shows that gender-based discrimination at work continues to disproportionately affect women designers more than men (26% of women compared to 7% of men).

To shine a spotlight on some of the visionary women who have broken through barriers and made a significant impact on the world of design, we asked the 99designs team to nominate some of the women creatives who have inspired them the most.

These trailblazing individuals have a diverse range of skills and talent, with success stories spanning print design, branding and agency leadership, to way-finding, public information design and more. These women are responsible for creating remarkable designs and visual communication that touches almost every element of our lives. But also opening up possibilities and pathways for those who follow in their footsteps.

Scroll down to download a free poster illustrated by the talented TikaDesign, featuring 15 of the exceptional individuals nominated for their significant role shaping the world of design.

15 inspirational women in design
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• April Greiman – Widely recognized as one of the first designers to embrace computer technology as a design tool, April Greiman revolutionized graphic design in the 1980s. Her innovative work, which blended typography, photography, and vibrant colors to create bold, experimental digital compositions helped establish the “New Wave” design movement, and continues to influence digital design aesthetics today.

• Bea Feitler – A trailblazing Brazilian-American art director, Bea Feitler transformed magazine design during the 1960s and 70s with her bold, vibrant visual approach. Working with publications like Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and Harper’s Bazaar, her innovative layouts bridged high art and popular culture and have influenced generations of designers after her.
• Carolyn Davidson – Popularly referred to as “The Logo Lady”, Carolyn Davidson is best known for creating the iconic Nike Swoosh logo in 1971 while she was a student at Portland State University. Despite initially being paid just $35 for the design, she created what has become one of the most recognizable brand symbols in the world.
• Cheryl D. Miller – Founder of one of the first black-women-owned design firms in New York City in 1984, Cheryl D. Miller is a graphic designer, author, and advocate known for her work in diversifying the design industry and challenging racial and gender inequalities in the field. Her influential 1987 thesis, “Black Designers: Missing in Action,” sparked conversations about representation and equity in graphic design that remain highly relevant in today’s cultural environment.
• Cipe Pineles – The first female member of the Art Directors Club, Cipe Pineles was also the first woman to serve as art director of major American magazines including Glamour, Seventeen, and Vogue. She is credited with being the first person to bring fine art into mainstream media, commissioning artists like Andy Warhol and Ad Reinhardt to illustrate articles during her time at Seventeen. Her distinctive visual style paved the way for women in graphic design while continuing influencing magazine aesthetics throughout the mid-20th century.
• Debbie Millman – An icon of our industry, Debbie Millman is also an author and educator who founded the pioneering Design Matters, one of the first and longest-running design podcasts. As the former president of AIGA and chair of the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts, she has shaped design discourse through her interviews with hundreds of creative leaders while creating branding work for major companies like Burger King and Star Wars.

• Ethel Reed – Way back in the 1890s, Ethel Reed was a famous designer whose bold Art Nouveau posters combined striking imagery with innovative typography. Her distinctive style and technical skill established her as one of the first professional female graphic designers in America, though her work remained largely forgotten until recently.
• Jane Davis Doggett – Making history as the first woman to design signage for a major airport, Jane Davis Doggett’s innovative use of color and typography transformed way-finding systems forever, setting a new standard for environmental graphic design. Her designs have guided millions of travelers through over 40 major airports around the world, setting the global standard for modern transportation navigation.
• Jessica Walsh – An award-winning designer, art director, and founder of &Walsh, Jessica Walsh is known for bold, vibrant, and concept-driven work that has influenced contemporary design and gained her global recognition. Jessica also founded Ladies, Wine & Design a global non-profit initiative for women in design that has chapters in over 285 cities worldwide.

• Lauren Hom – A lettering artist, branding expert (and chef!) Lauren Hom is famous for her vibrant typography and witty, approachable style. As well as collaborating with major brands on creative projects she is also an inspirational podcast host and coach, helping other designers unlock their full potential with educational and professional resources.
• Louise Fili – An influential creative renowned for her elegant typography and distinctive packaging designs combining historical, vintage Art Deco elements with contemporary design approaches, today Louise Fili is renowned for her work in the restaurant and food space. After serving as art director for Pantheon Books, she founded her own studio in 1989, earning her place as one of the most respected designers in the field.
• Louise E. Jefferson – Louise E. Jefferson was one of the first Black women to work as a professional graphic designer and illustrator. In the 1940s, she broke down racial barriers in the publishing industry as the first Black art director at Friendship Press, and was known for her activism in visual storytelling – famously designing illustrations of black and white children together for the songbook We Sing America.

• Rebeca Méndez – Known for her interdisciplinary work in branding design, photography, and environmental activism, Rebeca Méndez is a renowned graphic designer, artist, and educator. She won the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in Communication Design in 2012, the AIGA Medal in 2017, and was inducted into the One Club Hall of Fame in 2017. Significantly, Méndez is the only woman ever to have received all three of these awards.
• Susan Kare – Susan Kare is the pioneering digital designer who created the iconic visual elements for the original Macintosh computer, including the familiar trash can, lasso, and smiling computer icons that helped make the technology feel more friendly and accessible. After her groundbreaking work at Apple, she went on to create influential designs for Microsoft, Facebook, and other tech companies, cementing her reputation as “the woman who gave the computer a smile”.
• Sylvia Harris – A leader in social impact design, Sylvia Harris was a graphic designer and design strategist known for her pioneering work on civic and healthcare public information systems. In 2000, she re-designed the census form to increase participation from under-represented groups, and her approach to information design – clear, accessible, and inclusive – remains a gold standard model for designers tackling complex communication challenges.

Download your free poster
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Feeling inspired? Download your free poster today! Print it out, pin it to your wall, and be inspired by these mavens of design every single day.