When it comes to recognizable icons, few rival Nike’s Swoosh, designed by student designer Carolyn Davidson for $35. We unpack her quiet career, late recognition, and lasting influence with guest Sarah Williams, Co-CEO of Beardwood & Co. and President of AIGA NY.

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About Carolyn Davidson:

We’re pulling back the curtain on one of design’s most enduring marks: the Nike Swoosh. In 1971, Portland State University student Carolyn Davidson sketched a fluid, wing-like “stripe” directly over a shoe drawing—a fast, simple symbol that Phil Knight didn’t love at first but chose under production pressure. She invoiced $35, kept freelancing for the scrappy company as it rebranded from Blue Ribbon Sports to Nike, and later stepped away from the spotlight. Years afterward, Nike surprised her with a gold Swoosh ring and stock—an act of overdue recognition that grew to life-changing value. We trace Davidson’s process, her broader early contributions beyond the logo, and how the Swoosh eventually stood alone without the wordmark.

About Sarah Williams:

Sarah Williams is Co-CEO of Beardwood & Co. and President of AIGA New York. She joined Beardwood early (2006) after starting at Landor and rose to co-owner, leading brand programs for companies like Danone and Colgate while advancing mentorship and access across the NYC design community.

Follow Sarah:
Instagram: @_sarah_aw_
Beardwood & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beardwoodco/
https://beardwood.com/

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In this dual feature episode we take a celebratory look at Lorraine Wild’s influence as a writer, educator, and designer who helped shift graphic design from a formal practice to a cultural one, with personal insight from friend and fellow designer, Louise Sandhaus.

Lorraine Wild resources:

Green Dragon Office
“More Than a Few Questions About Graphic Design Education” (1983) via Emigre archive
Design Observer Archive – Lorraine Wild
 

Louise Sandhaus links:

Buy Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires & Riots

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About Lorraine:

Lorraine Wild is a Canadian-born graphic designer, educator, and writer whose work has shaped the trajectory of contemporary design. After studying at Cranbrook and Yale, she launched a career that bridged cultural criticism, publishing, and pedagogy. At CalArts, she reimagined graphic design education to focus on personal voice and authorship, mentoring generations of now-prominent designers. Through her studio Green Dragon Office, she’s known for crafting visually rich books and catalogs for artists, architects, and cultural institutions, always rooted in research, narrative, and materiality.

About Louise:

Louise Sandhaus is a Los Angeles–based graphic designer, educator, and historian. A former director of the CalArts Graphic Design Program, she’s the founder of Louise Sandhaus Design (LSD) and co-founder of the initiative “The People’s Graphic Design Archive.” Her celebrated book Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires & Riots helped redefine how we archive and celebrate California graphic design. Known for her bold, joyful aesthetic and deep commitment to inclusive design history, Louise has been a vocal advocate for amplifying overlooked voices in the field — especially women.

 

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Discover the untold story of Claire McCardell, the woman who invented casual wear, defied Dior, and changed the way American women dress (with insight from author Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, who finally put her name back on the label).

Buy the Book: Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free

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About Claire:

Claire McCardell put zippers on the side so women could dress themselves. She gave us pockets when men said we didn’t need them. She invented the wrap dress before Diane von Furstenberg and made ballet flats a thing—during wartime, using Capezio dance shoes. At a time when women were being arrested for wearing pants, Claire McCardell was designing clothing that made women feel powerful, stylish, and free.

While Dior was cinching waists and romanticizing restriction, Claire was pioneering what became known as the “American Look”—comfortable, functional, and modern. Her name was once as big as Chanel’s, and she was the first designer to have her name on a ready-to-wear label. So why don’t we remember her?

Find out on this week’s episode.

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson is an award-winning journalist and author based in Baltimore. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, The Washington Post, and more. Her debut book, Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free, was published in June 2025 to wide acclaim, including praise from The New York Times Book Review, which called it “the linchpin I didn’t know I needed.”

 

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This episode explores the remarkable career of Sharon Werner, founder of Werner Design Werks, and her candid reflections on misogyny, imposter syndrome, and staying small by choice. From childhood paper dolls to running a studio for nearly 35 years, Sharon’s story is filled with wit, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom.

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About Sharon:

Sharon Werner is the founder of Werner Design Werks, an award-winning design studio in Minneapolis known for its bold, thoughtful branding and packaging work. With nearly 35 years at the helm, Sharon has worked with clients ranging from Target and Nick at Nite to Moët Hennessy and Planned Parenthood. Her studio is known for its collaborative approach, small-team mindset, and deep respect for craft and storytelling.

Follow Sharon:
Website: wdw.com
Instagram: @wernerdesignwerks
Sharon's Instagram: @sharon_werner660

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This designer-on-designer episode explores Clara Porset’s legacy of cultural modernism and political courage, with insights from interior designer Lindsey Colhoun, whose own work echoes Clara’s timeless use of natural materials and storytelling.

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About Clara:

Clara Porset (1895–1981) was a Cuban-born, Mexican-adopted designer known for fusing modernist principles with indigenous Mexican craft and materials. Trained at Columbia University, the École des Beaux-Arts, and influenced by the Bauhaus, she developed a design philosophy centered on functionality, ethics, and cultural identity. Forced into political exile from Cuba, she found her voice in Mexico — redefining the field of interior design, mentoring students, and designing iconic furniture like the Butaca chair, which remains on display in Frida Kahlo’s home. Her work lives on in warm, handmade modernism and in the generations of designers she inspired.

About Lindsey:

Lindsey Colhoun is the Founder and Creative Director of her eponymous interior design studio, where she creates warm, livable sanctuaries that merge functionality, style, and sustainability. A Los Angeles native raised in a historic Frank Gehry home, Lindsey was immersed in architecture and interiors from a young age — influenced by her mother, also an interior designer. Today, she works with celebrities, Hollywood executives, and discerning clients, known for her timeless Southern California aesthetic and thoughtful, layered spaces that reflect the personalities and lifestyles of the people who live in them.

Follow Lindsey:
Website: lindseycolhoun.com
Instagram: @lindseycolhoundesign

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Ceramicist Rachel Saunders shares her self-taught creative journey—from leaving LA burnout behind to launching a soul-led business, shifting into retreats, and redefining success on her own terms.

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About Rachel:

Rachel Saunders is a self-taught ceramicist and designer based on Vancouver Island, Canada. She is the founder of Rachel Saunders Ceramics, a brand known for its sculptural yet functional pieces that explore themes of femininity, sustainability, and intuitive design. Her now-iconic Woman Vase has become a symbol of empowerment and creativity.

Rachel began her creative journey in visual merchandising in Los Angeles, but after experiencing burnout in a toxic work environment, she returned to Canada and immersed herself in clay—learning through community studios, YouTube videos, and trial and error. Over time, she built a globally recognized brand, with her work featured in publications like Architectural Digest, Vogue, and Elle Decor.

In 2022, Rachel made a major shift away from product-based production toward more intentional, holistic offerings—launching an online creative membership and hosting artist retreats in Greece and Tuscany. Through her work and her story, she continues to inspire creatives to define success on their own terms and prioritize a sustainable, soul-led life.

Follow Rachel:
Website: rachelsaundersceramics.com
Instagram: @rachelsaundersceramics.

 

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This deep-dive episode explores the jaw-dropping career of costume designer Edith Head—Hollywood’s most awarded woman—whose designs for stars like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly came with a trail of secrets, rivalries, and reinvention, with fashion enthusiast Darrian Wright joining for the ride.

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About Edith:

Edith Head was a legendary Hollywood costume designer whose career spanned over 50 years and more than 440 films. Known for her iconic round glasses and modest demeanor, she was the behind-the-scenes architect of some of the silver screen’s most iconic looks. With 8 Academy Awards—more than any woman in history—Head crafted wardrobes that shaped characters, stars, and an entire era of film, often blurring the lines between credit, creativity, and control.

 

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This episode features designer and Jungalow founder Justina Blakeney as she opens up about work-life balance, her art show California Poppy, the impact of the LA fires, and the quiet courage it takes to keep evolving creatively.
 

Checkout her art show: California Poppy at The Art Wolf
Checkout her latest book: Jungalow: Decorate Wild

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About Justina:

Justina Blakeney is a true multi-hyphenate—artist, designer, author, creative director, entrepreneur—and the founder of the wildly popular lifestyle brand, Jungalow. Her signature style is instantly recognizable: bold, bohemian, colorful, and deeply rooted in personal expression and global inspiration. But beyond aesthetics, Justina has reshaped what a modern creative career can look like.

Over the years, she’s collaborated with a long list of major brands including Target, Anthropologie, Loloi Rugs, Selamat, Opalhouse, and Keds—bringing her joyful sensibility into homes, wardrobes, and even our feet. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Vogue, The New York Times, Dwell, and more. She’s also the author of The New Bohemians, The New Bohemians Handbook, and Jungalow: Decorate Wild—books that have helped countless readers reclaim their homes as spaces of healing and self-expression.

In this conversation, we talk about the LA fires that forced her to evacuate her home, the symbolism behind her solo art show California Poppy, and how she’s finding her way back to forgotten parts of herself through painting, song, and joy. We also dive into work-life balance, creative risk-taking, identity, motherhood, and what it means to define “enoughness” in a culture that always demands more.

Follow Justina:

Instagram: @justinablakeney
justinablakeney.com
jungalow.com
Jungalow: Decorate Wild
 

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This episode features legendary designer and leader Maria Giudice, who shares her journey from Staten Island art kid to founding Hot Studio, navigating Facebook’s acquisition, and using design to shift culture, leadership, and the C-suite.

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About Maria:

Maria Giudice is a trailblazing designer, creative leader, and author who has spent over three decades redefining what it means to lead with empathy. She’s the founder of Hot Studio, one of the first woman-led digital design studios in the country, which was acquired by Facebook in 2013. Maria went on to become Director of Product Design at Facebook and later VP of Experience Design at Autodesk, helping bring people-centered thinking into the heart of tech culture. She’s the co-author of Rise of the DEO and Changemakers, two influential books that empower designers to lead change. From painting in Staten Island to reshaping Silicon Valley—Maria’s story is as bold as it is inspiring.

Follow Maria:

Instagram: @mgiudice
LinkedIn: Maria Giudice
Rise of the DEO
Changemakers
 

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This dual feature episode explores the legacy of Tomoko Miho’s masterful use of space and quiet modernism, alongside Jessica Strelioff’s thoughtful approach to building timeless, soulful brands through her studio, Goodside.

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Sources:

• AIGA Medalist: Tomoko Miho
• The Quiet Confidence of Tomoko Miho — Eye Magazine
• Herman Miller Stories: Creative Class Hero - Tomoko Miho
• Tomoko Miho Vintage Poster on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/201923687476
   

About Tomoko:

Tomoko Miho (1931–2012) was a pioneering American graphic designer known for her elegant use of space, clarity, and restrained modernism. A graduate of the Institute of Design in Chicago, she worked for George Nelson Associates and Unimark International before founding her own studio, Tomoko Miho & Co. Her clients included Herman Miller, MoMA, and the Smithsonian, and in 1993, she was awarded the AIGA Medal for her outstanding contributions to design. Miho’s work masterfully blended Swiss modernism, American pragmatism, and Japanese aesthetics to create timeless, poetic visual communications.

About Jessica:

Jessica Strelioff is the founder and creative director of Goodside Studio, a design practice known for its emotionally resonant, timeless branding. With a background in creating thoughtful, human-centered design, Jessica builds brands that are both strategic and soulful, always with a strong editorial and visual clarity. Her work embodies restraint and intentionality, carrying forward the spirit of designers like Tomoko Miho into a modern, digital world.

Follow Jessica:

Goodside Studio Website: goodside.studio
Threads: @jessicastrelioff
Instagram: @jessicastrelioff
LinkedIn: Jessica Strelioff
Behance Portfolio: behance.net/strelioff
 

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