Women at Work

Elizabeth Goodspeed is an independent designer, educator, and writer who has spent her career asking the questions that shape the design industry. In our latest episode, the US Editor-at-Large at It's Nice That talks about building a practice at the intersection of history and contemporary design, what is the difference between looting the past and inspiration, and how we perform our idea of what came before. A great lesson to understand our (bizarre) zeitgeist.

Can design be neutral? Lauren Williams works with visual and interactive media to understand, critique, and reimagine how social and economic systems distribute and exercise power over Black life and death. In our latest episode, the designer, artist, and educator talks about moving away from innocence in design practice and what it would actually look like to design a world without police and prisons. Do not miss it.

Natalee Ranii-Dropcho has spent over a decade building brand worlds at the intersection of strategy, voice and storytelling. In our latest episode, the Brooklyn-based Strategy & Copy Director talks about going freelance on her own terms, building a strategy department from scratch at one of the world's most respected independent design agencies, Porto Rocha, and why the language brands use to sound human is making them less human by the day. Do not miss it. Words are never just words.

Find our new episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Anoushka Rodda co-founded TEMPLO in 2013 with one conviction: design is most powerful when it stands for something. In our latest episode, the UK-based founder and managing director talks about building a cause-led agency from scratch, the personal history of displacement that drives her work, and why the women who run the design industry are still not getting the credit they deserve. Do not miss it. Design is never just design.

Find our new episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Joyce N. Ho has designed title sequences for worldwide famous shows and events, won an Emmy, and built one of the most respected careers in motion design of her generation. In our latest episode, the Hong Kong-born, Australian creative director based in Brooklyn talks about the art of designing in time, what it costs to run at full speed for fourteen years, and what you find when you finally slow down. Do not miss it. It's always in motion.

Krista Radoeva designs typefaces in Latin, Cyrillic and Greek, and she does it with the conviction that a writing system is never just a technical tool; it is a living record of culture. In our latest episode, the Bulgarian type designer and founder of About Type talks about building an independent career on your own terms, the beauty and politics of Cyrillic script, and why, after ten years in the field, she is now finding balance. Do not miss it. It’s just your type.

You know those moments in which you listen to someone who has such a clear vision of the world, of design, of information, and she explains it with such wisdom, you just want to keep on listening to her voice for hours on end? Well, that’s the feeling we had with Nicola Ryan, VP of Product Design at Condé Nast. A must, if you ask us.

Check out our new episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and get inspired with this incredible designer and leader who previously worked at Pentagram, the Times and the Telegraph.

Is creativity political? Are creators in a position of not having a clear position? How can we make Design a tool for a better and more united world? Samar Maakaroun, Graphic Designer, Creative Director and Partner of Pentagram, opens our new season with a masterclass on how to make things ethically.

Parenthood is a vast topic we’ve wanted to tackle for a long time; we just never knew how. Some women do not wish to discuss it because they don’t want to mix their work with their personal life. In contrast, others think those two spheres are indivisible, especially in creative industries where uncertainty and unstable work situations are more common. As we never quite figured out how to open this relevant subject with our guests, we thought it was logical to start the conversation in-house. Verònica Fuerte, founder of Hey, breaks many taboos on this pivotal issue linked to the experience of many women and people worldwide. Communication is power, and sharing is building for future designers who might wonder how to think about becoming a parent (or not) while working in the creative field.

Listen to our last Season 5 episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Aw, feeling nostalgic already!

To be honest, we could write a serious post about this interview, but we’ve just been bouncing around for the last couple of weeks in sheer happiness shouting “WE’VE INTERVIEWED ROXANE GAY”, so, yeah. One of the leading voices on feminism worldwide. Right?

Isabelita Virtual cracked the code of the digital world a long time ago; the key was always her endless curiosity. With her recognisable aesthetics and solid conceptual base, she has displayed her creativity with Apple, Tiffany & Co, Delpozo, Hermès, Versace, Sony, Vogue, Dior, Louis Vuitton Foundation, NASA and The Moscow Ballet, among many (many) others. No wonder she’s received the Webby Award Honoree for Best Social Content in Art & Culture on Instagram, like "the Internet's Highest Honour"; she has actually formed what we understand as the internet and social media themselves. This is an incredible guide on digital creativity.

Michelle Phillips, graphic designer and creative director, co-founded Yukiko Studio in 2012. Since then, she has worked for big names such as Apple, Sony, Nike, Camper, Hinge, Spotify, Meta and, of course, she has been the soul of Flaneur and Sofa magazines. Her story is one of navigating through the paths of creativity that can sometimes feel like a minefield; that is why she’s such an inspiring, solid and raw voice right now. Phillip is as unique as her work; a total gem.

Episode 9 is now fresh from the oven on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This should be exam material.

Take a notebook, a nice cup of coffee, a properly writing pen and a seat; this episode with Min Lew will make you want to take notes. This graphic designer, partner and Executive Creative Director at Base Design is all about solid knowledge and very insightful golden nuggets of experience on leading teams, managing big and small clients with consciousness, being a woman and mother in a highly competitive landscape and no moodboards—a must.

Success takes time and patience. It also takes a conscious perspective, hard work, trust and talent. Khyati Trehan is the perfect combination of all these; her amazing projects for brands such as Instagram, Snapchat, New Yorker Magazine, the New York Times, Samsung, Apple and, of course, the Oscars show her bold approach to design, which is conceptual and deeply intentional. Above all, listening to her helps us understand the reality behind design practice, which is more than what can be seen.

Episode 7 is now on, and, honestly, you cannot miss this one for it’s raw, honest and incredibly inspiring. Tune in to Spotify and Apple Podcasts and enjoy!

Listening to our sixth episode feels more like attending a masterclass you can’t believe you’re in because it's so inspiring. Lisa Smith has that power; this branding and design genius puts as much passion into her thoughts as she does into her projects, all showing a bold, authentic, future-proof, impeccable concept, story, and design. This is a chance to squeeze as much inspiration as possible!

Is there anything nicer than shaping communication? Giving a shape to words? Cyla Costa knows a lot about this. This Brazilian designer, illustrator, typographer, and lettering artist has worked with some of the biggest brands and institutions, yet her work always retains a profoundly personal, artistic, and feminist touch. It's definitely right up our alley.

Happiness, joy, and humour are things to take very seriously. We can feel it in Noemie Le Coz’s work; a positive outlook on the job (and life in general) can inspire real change and maybe create the world we would love to live in. She is behind the bodycare brand Billie’s impeccable aesthetics; their ads, imagery, and Design are referenced worldwide because of their boldness and how they convey message and form. Speaking to her is like leaving fresh air in, and now her interview is available to you on Spotify and Apple Podcast.

The work of Sophie Douala, Artist and Creative Director, born in Cameroon, raised in France and settled in Berlin, reflects the absolute topicality of the creative voice that pivots between culture, identity, evolution and emotion. Indeed, this emotion comes through in her words; her energy, determination and strong delicacy are music to (creative) ears.

Designing something memorable yet simple and making it as long-lasting as the first Google logo (16 years of revolutionary years) seems an unfathomable task, and yet Ruth Kedar was able to do it just like she has faced every single project in her amazing career: with curiosity and a deep understanding of the context. Just… wow.

Listening to Natasha Jen is like attending a masterclass in design, the workspace, the past and the future of how businesses and creativity collide and everything else; she is a truly significant figure and has had a pivotal role in how design has evolved through her work. The right kind of inspiration for this 2025.