Women of Design

There are a handful of "rock star" designers in this world. People that most people in the design world are aware of, in awe of, or in envy of. Most of these tend to be men. And this is due to the fact that there are simply more men than women in the roles of creative directors and business owners. But now there is a book out from HOW celebrating the women of design. While I think it's a bit silly that we need such a book in 2008, I acknowledge that we do. It's nice to see some familiar and not-so-familiar names gracing it's pages. This is a great gift idea for any designer you may know. Ahem.

Here's a write up and sample pages from Under Consideration:

The immense body of work produced by graphic designers around the world is astoundingly varied, rich and widely celebrated. Yet in publications, conferences and other public realms, women designers tend to be outnumbered by their male counterparts whose appearances, work and achievements are constantly in the spotlight. Luckily, it’s a reversing trend. While this book does not attempt to relieve the imbalance, it does bring full attention to the wonderful work, careers and contributions of women designers, writers, teachers and entrepreneurs around the world.

The women in this book have been divided into three groups, representative of the time in which their influence was most heartily felt: Groundbreakers, Pathfinders and Trailblazers. These three generations have helped shape the modern landscape of design. Explore the work, ideals and ventures that have helped define the last fifty years of the graphic design profession. Learn about the women who helped establish design’s relevance, importance and impact — and the ones who carry their tradition into new territory.