Debbie Millman

Debbie Millman is an American writer, educator, artist, curator, and designer who is best known as the host of the podcast Design Matters.^[1] She has authored six books and is the President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and chair, one of only five women to hold the position over 100 years.^[2] She co-founded the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City with Steven Heller. She was previously the editorial and creative director of Print magazine.^[3] Her illustrations have appeared in many major publications, including New York Magazine, Design Observer, and Fast Company and her artwork has been included in many museums and institutes including the Design Museum of Chicago and the Boston Biennale.^[2]

Debbie Millman
Born	(1962-11-02) November 2, 1962 (age 61)
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University at Albany, SUNY (BA)
Known for	Host of Design Matters
Spouse	Roxane Gay ​ (m. 2020)​
Website	www.debbiemillman.com

Early life and education

Millman studied at the University at Albany, SUNY for her undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree.^[4] She majored in English with a minor in Russian literature, graduating in 1983.^[5] During her years there, she wrote for the student newspaper, eventually becoming the arts and features editor her senior year. She credits discovering her interest in design through this role where she had to layout and design the paper, finding it to be "truly remarkable, like magical."^[2]

Career

1983-1995: Early career, Hot 97

After school Millman has said that she started working as a designer because it was her only marketable skill, including old-school layout drafting skills. She worked freelance and as a paste-up artist; her first job out of college was in the design department of a cable magazine. A year later she took a job as the director of marketing at a real estate development company, but she hated it.^[2]

In 1993, Millman became the off-staff creative director of HOT 97 in New York City, where she worked with Emmis Broadcasting general manager Judy Ellis and Promotion Director Rocco Macri to turn the dance music radio station into a hip-hop radio station. Millman created the HOT 97 logo in 1994 and then redesigned it again in 1999.^[6][7] Millman would remain the creative director for twelve years total until 2005.^[8]

Millman has described this time in her career as a series of "experiments in rejection and failure."^[2] It took twelve years after graduating college for her to get her first design job at Sterling Brands in 1995. Of this process she has said, "It takes work to get the work you love. There is no other way."^[2] She also has said that no matter what job she had during the time period up until 1995, she "was always making art and writing."^[9]

1995-2016: Sterling Brands, Design Matters

In 1995, Millman joined Sterling Brands in New York City, where she eventually became a partner, the president of the Design Division,^[10] and chief marketing officer.^[11] There she worked with brands including Pepsi, Gillette, Colgate, Kimberly-Clark, Nestlé, and the Campbell Soup Company.^[12][13] She worked on the redesign of Burger King,^[14] merchandising for Star Wars, and the positioning and branding of the NO MORE movement.^[15] In 2008, Millman and her partners sold Sterling Brands to Omnicom^[5] and she continued to work there until 2016.

She has served as the editorial & creative director of Print since 2002.^[16][17]

In 2003, Millman was invited to join the AIGA as a board member but was voted off after one year; she then was offered an AIGA juror seat in that year's Graphic Design USA Awards to help soften the blow. This resulted in a very critical blog post of Millman on Speak Up, one of the first design blogs run by Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio. She has spoken about how much the experience affected her, though she eventually ended up writing for the site later the same year and continued until it ceased publication in 2009.^[9]

In 2004, Millman founded Design Matters, a design podcast where she frequently interviews designers, educators, authors, and thinkers—at a time when the word podcast was not well known. The show started out at VoiceAmerica Business Radio, an internet radio network, where Millman paid them for airtime. In 2009, Bill Drenttel of Design Observer asked her to bring the show over and introduced her to Curtis Fox, who has remained the producer every since.^[9]

Design Matters guests have included Massimo Vignelli, Steven Heller, Marian Bantjes, Tina Roth Eisenberg, and Stefan Sagmeister, Milton Glaser, Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel H. Pink, Barbara Kruger, and Seth Godin, among others.^[18] On the show, Millman has interviewed over 400 people from the art, design and creative fields since the podcast began.^[19]

2016-present: School of Visual Arts, Curation

 

Millman at AIGA Wisconsin, 2009

In 2009, Millman and Steven Heller founded a graduate program in branding at the School of Visual Arts^[20] in New York City.^[21] She serves as chair of the program.^[22] The school's inaugural class wrote and designed the Rockport book Brand Bible: The Complete Guide to Building, Designing and Sustaining Brands, and in 2013 the students designed and created branding for the Museum of Modern Art's retail program, Destination: New York.

Millman became the President Emeritus of American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) in 2014,^[23] one of five women to hold the position in the organization's 100-year history. She is a former board member and treasurer of the New York Chapter.

In 2015, the School of Visual Arts began to reposition the Kappa Middle School in Harlem and, in 2016, they rebranded Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation. The class of 2017 redesigned the identity of the Performance Space 122 in New York City.^[24]

Throughout her career, Millman has contributed to various media outlets including The New York Times,^[25] New York Magazine, Print Magazine, Design Observer and Fast Company.^[26][27] She designed campaign buttons for Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign,^[28] wrapping paper and beach towels for One Kings Lane, greeting cards for Mohawk Paper and MOO Paper, as well as playing cards for DeckStarter and various others.^[29][30]

In September 2017, she curated a show for the Museum of Design in Atlanta titled Text Me: How We Live In Language,^[31][32] featuring artists and designers including Ed Ruscha, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Shepard Fairey, Neil Gaiman, Deborah Kass and Lesley Dill. Arts Atlanta called the show a bold first curation. Millman co-curated conferences, such as HOW DESIGN LIVE, the 2017 AIGA National Conference.^[33][34] Since 2013, she has curated 30 Covers, 30 Days for National November Writing Month.^[35]

 

Chasten Buttigieg and Debbie Millman talk during their keynote session at the Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit, October 20, 2023

Millman is a regular keynote speaker at a variety of global educational institutions, covering topics on design and branding. In the past she has presented keynote lectures at Rotman School of Management,^[36] Princeton University, Michigan Modern, the Hong Kong Design Association, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the National Museum of Serbia, Design Thinkers in Toronto, the Festival of Art and Design in Barcelona, Webstock in New Zealand, QVED in Munich, the ING Conference in Dubai, TypoBerlin, the By Design Conference in Slovakia and more.^[37][38]

In 2022, Millman appeared on Storybound reading from her new book, Design Matters.

Reception and awards

Millman's artwork has been exhibited at the Boston Biennale, Chicago Design Museum, Anderson University, School of Visual Arts, Long Island University, The Wolfsonion Museum and the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art. In the past, she was an artist-in-residence at Cranbrook University, Old Dominion University and Notre Dame University, and has also conducted visual storytelling workshops at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, the University of Utah, Anderson University, Albuquerque Academy, the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan and the Type Directors Club in New York City.^[39]

In 2014, she received the Type Directors Club Certificate of Typographic Excellence for her entry in TDC61,^[40] 'Austin Initiative for Graphic Awesomeness' poster.^[41] Her book Self-Portrait As Your Traitor was awarded a Gold Mobius,^[42] a Print Typography Award, and a medal from the Art Directors Club.

By 2017, Design Matters had passed the five million downloads per year mark.^[43] The podcast received a number of awards, including the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award^[44] and the People's Design Award.^[45] In 2015, iTunes named it one of the best podcasts of the year.^[46] It was recognized as a Webby Honoree in 2018.^[47]

In 2021, she was named to Fast Company's Queer 50 list.^[48]

Advocacy

Millman was involved with the creation of the NO MORE movement and worked on the team to design a new visual symbol to express universal support for ending domestic violence and sexual assault.^[49] The purpose of the symbol is to raise visibility, create awareness, encourage conversation, and help break the social stigma surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. The NO MORE movement has been supported by a broad coalition of funders, advocacy and service organizations, and private sector volunteers from leading corporations and media companies including Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation, Avon, Kimberly Clark Corporation and Verizon.^[50][51] Millman is also on the board of the Joyful Heart Foundation and created the identity for the non-profit with her students at the School of Visual Arts.^[52]

Personal life

Millman is married to author Roxane Gay. On July 9, 2020 Gay tweeted that they had already eloped but planned to have a proper ceremony officiated by Gloria Steinem in 2021.^[53]

Bibliography

Millman is the author of seven books.^[54] Two are collections of interviews that have extended the ethos and editorial vision of Design Matters to the printed page: How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer^[55][56] and Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits. She is the author of two books of illustrated essays: Look Both Ways and Self-Portrait As Your Traitor.

• How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer. New York: Allworth Press. 2007. ISBN 9781581156355. OCLC 181142646.
• The Essential Principles of Graphic Design. Cincinnati, Ohio: How Books. 2008. ISBN 9781600610479. OCLC 176923189.
• Look Both Ways: Illustrated Essays on the Intersection of Life and Design. Cincinnati, Ohio: HOW Books. 2009. ISBN 9781600613210. OCLC 299713300.
• Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits. New York: Allworth Press. 2011. ISBN 9781581158649. OCLC 696099142.
• Self-Portrait As Your Traitor. Cincinnati, Ohio: HOW Books. 2012. ISBN 978-1440334610. OCLC 865535167.
• Brand Bible: The Complete Guide to Building, Designing, and Sustaining Brands. Beverly, Massachusetts: Rockport Publishers. 2012. ISBN 9781610581981. OCLC 795526435.
• Upcoming:Why Design Matters: Conversation's with the World's Most Creative People. Haper Design. 2022. ISBN 978-0062872968.

Further reading

• Gerda Breuer, Julia Meer (ed): Women in Graphic Design, p. 515/516, 562/563, Jovis, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-86859-153-8
• Gomez-Palacio, Bryony, and Armin Vit. Women of design: influence and inspiration from the original trailblazers to the new groundbreakers., p. 175–177, How Books, 2008, ISBN 978-1600610851

References

1. "Debbie Millman". Fast Company. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
2. Cowan, Katy (October 25, 2018). "Debbie Millman on the power of courage over confidence, embracing criticism and overcoming fear". Creative Boom. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
3. "Debbie Millman, Author at Print Magazine". Print Magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
4. "Debbie Millman, B.A.'83". State University of New York at Albany. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
5. "UAlbany Magazine – University at Albany – SUNY". albany.edu. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
6. "Millman". Crains New York. April 14, 2003. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
7. "Design Observer Party: Denver, October 12". Design Observer. November 10, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
8. Vit, Armin (March 2, 2005). "Speak Up › Design Stories from New York: Debbie Millman". www.underconsideration.com. from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
9. Aldhahi, Mariam (April 26, 2017). "Debbie Millman on the Very Bad Month That Changed Her Career". Magenta. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
10. "Interview: Debbie Millman, Sterling Brands". New Fangled. August 4, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
11. . Lynda.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
12. "Debbie Millman Writer, Brand Consultant & Host of Design Matters". The Legacy Project. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
13. "Debbie Millman". Designers and Books. Retrieved July 11, 2017.^{[permanent dead link]}
14. Vit, Armin (January 7, 2021). "The King's Gambit: New Logo and Identity for Burger King by Jones Knowles Ritchie". UnderConsideration. from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
15. "Introducing Guest Bollger Debbie Millman: Design Matters". Fast Company. September 28, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
16. "HELLO (AND, WELL, GOODBYE)". Print Mag. August 1, 2002.
17. "Observer: Easy Writer". Print Mag. June 1, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
18. "Design Matters with Debbie Millman". Design Observer. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
19. Brownworth, Victoria A. (November 3, 2021). "Why you need to know Debbie Millman". Queer Forty. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
20. "Masters in Brand". School of Visual Arts. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
21. "How Steven Heller Redefined the Design Industry". Magenta. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
22. "School of Visual Arts – MPS in Branding | Debbie Millman". branding.sva.edu. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
23. "For the past twenty years, Debbie has been President of Sterling Brands and, in 2014, was named president and chief marketing officer of the firm". Sappi. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
24. "School of Visual Arts – MPS in Branding | Debbie Millman". branding.sva.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
25. "Sally Ride". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
26. "Debbie Millman". Fast Company. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
27. "DEBBIE MILLMAN: IF NOT NOW, WHEN?". Chase Jarvis. March 2, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
28. . Visual News. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
29. . How Design. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
30. "Design Conversations: Debbie Millman". AIGA Philadelphia. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
31. . Explore Georgia. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
32. "MODA's Text Me: How We Live in Language Public Exhibition Opening". Arts Atlanta. October 3, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
33. "2017 AIGA Design Conference to focus on community, connection, and career journey". AIGA. March 9, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
34. "20 Designers in 20 Minutes". AIGA. October 24, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
35. . How Design. November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
36. "Events and Speaker Series". Rotman. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
37. "Debbie Millman: On Rejection". Kansas City Design Week. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
38. . DebbieMillman.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
39. . The Type Directors Club. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
40. . The Type Directors Club. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
41. "UC.Prints: Debbie Millman at AIforGA". underconsideration.com. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
42. . Color Ibus. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
43. . Clarity. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
44. . DC Design Week. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
45. "Debbie Millman's Design Matters Wins People's Design Award". Retrieved March 4, 2018.
46. Millman, Debbie. . debbiemillman.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
47. "DESIGN MATTERS WITH DEBBIE MILLMAN". Webby Awards. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
48. "Announcing Fast Company's second annual Queer 50 list". Fast Company. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
49. . How Design. June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
50. "The Best Thing I Ever Created: Designer Debbie Millman on No More's Visual Identity". Shutterstock. October 14, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
51. "Debbie Millman". Speakers Spotlight. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
52. "Board of Directors". Joyful Heart Foundation. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
53. "Gloria Steinem to Marry Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman in Jewish Ceremony". Jewish Journal. July 9, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
54. "Debbie Millman". Designers and Books. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
55. "Ms. Debbie Millman". AIGA. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
56. "Books by Debbie Millman". Good Reads. Retrieved April 4, 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Debbie Millman on This Design Life August 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
• Debbie Millman on Tim Ferriss show
• Debbie Millman on The Great Discontent