By Design

Brian Niccol is on a mission to change how you get your morning coffee, and on this episode, we learn how in Niccol’s first public interview since taking over as Starbucks CEO a year ago. 

We also run down the latest news on NikeSkims’ first lookbook, Apple’s Liquid Glass launch, and Amazon’s settlement over its deceptive UX — the “Iliad Flow.” 

Then, we close the episode with a new game: Hot or not…but for design. 

President Trump just created the National Design Studio and tapped Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to lead the charge. Cracker Barrel has offended or enraged just about everyone with its new logo. Figma hit Wall Street with a bang. 

It’s been a big month for design. And on this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson give the rundown of the latest news before talking with Figma Chief Product Officer Yuhki Yamashita just after the company’s super successful IPO. 

Yuhki shares where Figma goes from here and how he’s thinking about design products in the age of AI and vibe coding. 

Then, we’ll round things out the best and worst designs of the month as Teenage Engineering, Apple, A24, and AOL battle for the crown (or not). 

There have been 11 Superman films released in the past 50 years. How do you make a new one that stands out? 

On this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson interview the production designer for the latest Superman film, Beth Mickle. They discuss her collaborations with director James Gunn and share how she developed the latest Superman aesthetic. Plus, she explains why her team chose the more difficult route of relying heavily on practical effects. 

Liz and Mark also discuss the latest in design news including the vibeless summer , Meta’s tent city, and a certain copycat in the New York City mayoral race. 

And at the end of the episode, Liz and Mark debate their best and worst designs of the month: MAGA Coke, Sam Altman’s sunglasses, and Anne Hathaway are all in contention.

Welcome to the first episode of By Design, our new show for news, interviews, and criticism from the wide world of design.

Our first guest is Michael Bierut. He has been the brains behind some of the most iconic design work in recent history. Mastercard, Slack, Saks Fifth Avenue, and countless more came from Bierut’s desk as a partner at Pentagram. 

Now, as Bierut steps into (semi) retirement, he sat down with By Design hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson for a thoughtful reflection on his legendary career and why both humans and technology will need to work together for real design innovation. And yes, they do revisit the infamous “H” logo he designed for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. 

Liz and Mark also give their analysis on the latest in design news. Is Apple’s Liquid Glass any good? Can Sam Altman and Jony Ive make a useful piece of AI hardware? 

Plus, Liz and Mark make their cases for the best and worst new designs before producer Cody Nelson picks a winner.

Design is no longer just about aesthetics—it's shaping the way we live, work, and interact with the world. Join ‘Fast Company’ senior editor Liz Stinson and global design editor Mark Wilson as they dive into the latest innovations in the world of user experience and product and architectural design. ‘By Design’ focuses on the macro impacts of design trends, covering topics like the future of wearable technology, how AI is affecting product design, and, more broadly, how design intersects with business, tech, politics, and culture.