Inspired to Design: The Women Who Have Influenced Us
Design is inspiration. At Elegant Tools, we believe in inspiring designers to build the best tools possible, improve the world through powerful design, and to do so with passion. But who are the people who inspired us? Carrying the energy of Women’s History Month into April, we asked members of the Facebook Business Design team to share a little about the women who have impacted their relationship with design.
Margaret Gould Stewart, Vice President of Product Design
“Red Burns, the founder of the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, where I attended graduate school, was a critical mentor and inspiration to me. Red wasn’t primarily interested in technology per se; she saw it as something you needed to get to the real work of improving people’s lives, making them feel more connected, bringing delight in big and small ways, and empowering them to affect change in their communities and in the broader world. When she passed away in 2013, Wired asked me to reflect on Red’s life and work, and it was only then that I realized how profound her influence has been on my career, my philosophies, and my values.”
Tom Hobbs, Director of Product Design
“There are many women who’ve had a huge influence on me throughout my career, but one that stands out is Susan Kare, the designer of the icons and typefaces that defined the Macintosh. The utility, approachability, and humanity of those designs has defined interacting with computers ever since.”
Yanling Wang, Product Design Manager
“Marianne Brandt (1893–1983) was a German designer whose modern designs for household objects are so timeless that you can still buy them almost a century after she designed them. I still remember vividly how excited I was when seeing her work in a book and how much I was drawn to the little picture of her: short hair, eyes looking down. Yet I could strongly feel her determination and passion, which inspired me and gave me the courage and strength to continue despite being the only woman designer in an industrial design agency in China many years ago.”
Tricia Rosetty, Content Strategist
“Liz Rose Chmela runs Made By We, a design agency in Washington, D.C., that works with nonprofits to create social impact through design. I’ve known her since junior high, and she’s constantly inspired me to do good work on projects that make a positive difference in the world. Working with nonprofits is an equal mix of challenge and reward, and I’ve never seen anyone who does it with as much joy, devotion, and enthusiasm for craft as Liz Rose. She’s incredible at rallying the best in people to create something really great.”
Lucy Davis, Director of Product Design
“Charlotte Perriand was a furniture designer who I admire for being curious, adaptive, and refusing to be limited by circumstances, such as being a young woman in a male-dominated profession. I love that she persevered to create her own path, and produce work that is functional, affordable, and appealing. This resulted in beautiful designs that reflect her experiences, and are still relevant decades later.”
