The 40 Most Famous Graphic Designers in the World in 2024 (2024)

The Secret Ingredients of Famous Graphic Designers

What makes a famous graphic designer? There’s no single magic formula, but all the top graphic designers on our list have pushed design boundaries in their own ways.

Some bring radical new innovations, while others slowly change design culture through long careers and iterative contributions to the field. Many top graphic designers have broken boundaries simply by being who they are, in a field historically dominated by white males in Europe and the United States.

The famous graphic designers on our list do have a few things in common, though. If you’re hoping to follow in the footsteps of the greats, you might want to pay attention to these points.

Iconic works and designs

Graphic designers often achieve fame and lasting influence by creating a truly iconic design or body of work. This design might, for example, be a corporate logo or typographic design, such as Paul Rand’s famous 1950s IBM logo or Max Miedinger’s Helvetica font. Others have shaped contemporary design via album covers, innovative magazine design or packaging design.

Some designers’ lasting influence comes from a general approach to their work that becomes iconic. For example, Alvin Lustig was one of the first famous graphic designers to treat book cover design as an art form, while April Greiman was one of the earliest contemporary designers to use computers in graphics at a time when this was still highly uncommon.

Innovative and unique style

For lasting fame in the design world, you need a unique style that sets you apart. This element is as true in the past as it is today.

Aaron Douglas, for example, was a notable African American designer in the 1930s, known for using Art Deco and Ancient Egyptian stylistic influences to create a unique visual language. Today, the work of famous graphic designers like Morag Myerscough is immediately recognizable by their distinctive use of color, space and unique experiential approach.

Social media influence and visibility

Unlike most of the great names on this list, today’s famous graphic designers have a new sphere of influence to consider: Social media.

Channels like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest drive direct audience engagement with brands and creators, which can be the difference between languishing in obscurity and shooting to global recognition. Talented graphic designers looking for fame in 2024 must be social media savvy and have a strong, authentic online presence.

Social media has also influenced design styles, as organic sharing and virality have become core aspects of marketing and branding campaigns.

5 Top Graphic Designers Chosen by Supersiders

As global leaders in graphic design, including advertising design, illustration, motion graphics, videography and branding, Superside’s creative team has unique insight into the best graphic designers working today.

I asked our talented team to share their top graphic design heroes and tell us why they love these icons’ work.

1. Jessica Walsh

Jessica Walsh has run her studio, &Walsh, in New York City since 2019. Her illustrious career includes seven years partnering with Stefan Sagmeister as Sagmeister&Walsh.

This designer is known for her fearless use of color and a cutting-edge, surrealist aesthetic, as well as her activism and support for women and non-binary people in design.

2. Jon Contino

Jon Contino is a New York-based contemporary graphic designer with a unique style that combines historical design aesthetics, street art and hand-drawn lettering. He runs his own studio and boasts an impressive client list. Contino has received several awards in the U.S. and abroad.

3. Timothy Goodman

Timothy Goodman is a graphic designer and artist who has shaped the design industry through his work with major brands.

He combines typography with illustration in a vibrant style reminiscent of Keith Haring’s Pop Art masterpieces of the 1980s. He’s also known for his viral collaboration with Jessica Walsh, 40 Days of Dating.

Goodman held his first solo gallery exhibition at the Richard Taittinger Gallery in 2021.

4. Camille Anne Ferreol

Camille Anne Ferreol is a Filipino designer currently based in Boston, and working as an associate creative director at Right Left Agency. Here, she plays a key role in marketing, branding and book design.

Camille’s ability to use her design skills to create warm, accessible yet modern brand identities makes her one of the Superside team’s top young rising designers to watch.

5. Mike Perry

Mike Perry is an Emmy Award-winning graphic designer, illustrator and animator. He’s been running his Brooklyn-based studio since 2006 and is known for his playful use of color. Perry also loves playing with patterns, types and typography.

In addition to his commercial work, Mike has participated in over 40 group and solo exhibitions and several public art installations worldwide.

20 Most Influential Graphic Designers of All Time

The term “graphic design” didn’t become commonplace until around the 1950s. Early graphic designers were sometimes called “commercial artists,” while visual communication in advertising was seen as secondary to text until surprisingly recently.

Today, thanks to many of the pioneers on this list, graphic design is a crucial element of contemporary marketing and communication strategies.

6. Saul Bass

Saul Bass (1919-1996), one of the 20th century’s most famous graphic designers, created some of the top iconic movie posters and title sequences of the 1950s. If you’ve seen Hollywood classics like Psycho, The Man With the Golden Arm, and North by Northwest, you’ll be familiar with his work.

Bass was one of the first designers to move away from garish portraits of stars on film posters, pioneering a new, simplified, minimal style with organic forms and fluid hand-lettering. He also designed well-known logos for brands such as Kleenex and AT&T.

7. Cipe Pineles

Cipe Pineles (1908-1991) made her name in magazine design at a time when men dominated the profession. From 1937, she was an art director at Glamour. She subsequently moved on to Seventeen, Charm and Mademoiselle.

Unusually for the 1940s and 50s, Pineles was a lover of modern art and often commissioned magazine artwork from painters such as Ben Shahn, Lucille Corcos and Andy Warhol.

In 1943, Cipe became the first woman admitted to the New York Art Director’s Club and the first woman inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame.

8. Charles Dawson

Charles Dawson (1889-1981) was a Chicago-based commercial artist who worked in the 1920s and 30s. As one of the few Black professional designers of the early 20th century, he faced racism and exclusion, including, at times, the denial of credit for his work. Nonetheless, he became a well-known commercial and editorial illustrator, working on product illustrations, posters and more.

Dawson was the only Black artist included in the Century of Progress Fair held in Chicago in 1933-34. He also designed and self-published a book of linocut portraits, ABCs of Great Negroes, celebrating the achievements of Black and African leaders.

9. Lester Beall

Lester Beall (1903-1969) was a self-taught graphic designer who pioneered using visual design as a primary communication tool in advertising and marketing.

Before the 1930s, visual imagery usually came second to text in commercial design, and Beall’s use of strong, clear iconography and color was a radical departure.

Among Beall’s best-known works is a remarkable set of posters promoting the Rural Electrification Administration’s campaign to bring electricity to rural United States.

10. Paul Rand

Paul Rand (1914-1996) was the art director and graphic designer who created some of the best-known American brand designs of the 20th century. His legacy of corporate logo designs includes iconic work for IBM, UPS, Enron, Westinghouse and ABC.

Rand was one of the earliest proponents in the U.S. of the International Typographic Style, a modernist-inspired movement that profoundly influenced midcentury graphic design.

Rand was known for his simple, clean, impactful corporate identity design approach. Variations on many of his original logos are still in use today.

11. Abram Games

“Maximum meaning, minimum means.”

This was British designer Abram Games’ (1914-1996) graphic design philosophy.

Games built his name creating over 100 official posters during the Second World War. His style was unique for the time, using gradients, flat color planes and minimalist geometric shapes and stencils to drum up support for Britain’s wartime efforts. He went on to an illustrious career in commercial, television and book design.

12. Alvin Lustig

Alvin Lustig (1915-1955) is best known for his cutting-edge book designs, revolutionizing the appearance of book covers in the 1940s.

At the time, the most common approach to book design was to supply one image—often garish or overly literal—summarizing the book’s contents. Lustig’s approach was to read the book and translate its content, style and atmosphere into a unique design.

He was strongly influenced by Modernist art movements such as the Bauhaus movement. Although Lustig died prematurely at just 40, his simplified shapes, flat colors and clean typography continue to influence graphic design today.

13. Jacqueline Casey

Jacqueline Casey (1927-1992) was an American graphic artist and poster designer best known for her work with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1955-1989. She was strongly influenced by the Swiss design style she first encountered while working with Swiss designer Thérèse Moll.

Casey was known for her precise technical execution and intelligent use of design parameters such as the grid. Despite her tendency towards visual minimalism, she loved wordplay and visual puns and often incorporated these elements into her designs.

14. Massimo Vignelli

Italian graphic designer Massimo Vignello (1931-2014) co-founded Vignelli Associates with his wife, Lella, in 1971. Initially trained in architecture, he moved to New York in 1966 and headed up the New York branch of Unimark International.

At Unimark, Vignello produced his most enduring and famous design: An abstracted, geometric map of the New York City Subway system. The new map was easy for commuters to understand and follow, liberated from literal representation of the city above ground.

He was committed to the idea that good design always involved understanding the user's true needs.

15. Milton Glaser

Milton Glaser’s (1929-2020) most enduring legacy is his famous “I ❤️ NY” logo of the 1970s, which still adorns posters, mugs, tourist T-shirts and more.

Glaser and three friends founded Push Pin Studios in New York in 1954. Over the next twenty years, the firm grew into one of the city’s most respected graphic design firms.

Beyond the iconic logo, Glaser is known for his poster design: He created over 400 posters, displaying his love of psychedelic color, silhouette and bold outlines.

16. Ikko Tanaka

Ikko Tanaka (1930-2002) is widely considered the “father of Japanese graphic design.”

Tanaka combined his deep knowledge of Japanese calligraphy and aesthetics with Western-style geometric images and bright colors, creating a uniquely modern hybrid style.

He often worked with fashion designers, including Hanae Mori, Kenzo, Issey Miyake, and with the Japanese homeware brand Muji. Tanak is also known for his book and poster design, often using text and typography as a graphic medium.

17. Alan Fletcher

British graphic designer Alan Fletcher (1931-2006) founded the studio Fletcher/Forbes/Gill in 1962, later becoming the global design superpower Pentagram.

Fletcher was responsible for some of the previous century’s iconic brand identities, including boundary-pushing work for Penguin Books, Pirelli, the Victoria & Albert Museum and Reuters. His work for Penguin Books in the 1960s, in particular, shaped a brand identity for the publisher that remains instantly recognizable today.

18. Sheila Levrant de Brettenville

Sheila Levrant de Brettenville (b. 1940) is one of the most influential feminist graphic designers of the 20th century. In 1971, she founded CalArts’ first dedicated design program for women. She was also one of the co-founders of the Woman’s Building in Los Angeles, which was dedicated to feminist art production and education.

In 1990, she became director of the Yale University Graduate Program in Graphic Design and was the first woman ever to receive tenure at the Yale University School of Art.

19. Archie Boston

Archie Boston (b. 1943) is a trailblazing graphic designer and educator. Based in Los Angeles, he established Archie Boston Graphic Design in the 1970s and was the first Black designer elected president of the Los Angeles Art Director’s Club. He was also the first Black designer to receive the American Institute for Graphic Arts (AIGA) Fellows Award in 2007.

Boston is known for designs with courageous, hard-hitting messages that don’t shy away from the realities of racism and discrimination, often with a touch of dry humor.

20. Paula Scher

American graphic designer and painter Paula Scher (b. 1948) joined design powerhouse Pentagram in 1991, becoming the firm’s first female principal. She’s worked on major branding projects for Bloomberg, Microsoft, The New School, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, The Public Theater, and many other cultural and corporate clients.

With an instantly recognizable, accessible design style, she is known as a “master conjurer of the instantly familiar.” She’s received multiple prestigious awards and honors, including being inducted into the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame in 1998 and the AIGA Medal in 2001.

21. Sylvia Harris

Sylvia Harris (1953-2011) was an American graphic designer deeply committed to social impact and improving public life. Her experiences of growing up as a Black woman in the 1960s shaped her commitment to social justice and a desire to use design for social good.

She founded Sylvia Harris LLC in 1994—later renamed Citizen Research and Design—focusing on using design to solve problems. In 2014, she was posthumously awarded the AIGA Medal for her contribution to graphic design.

22. Susan Kare

If you’ve ever touched a computer, you’re familiar with the work of Susan Kare (b.1954). Between 1983 and 1986, Kare designed screen graphics, icons and typefaces for Apple, setting the parameters for icon and user interface (UI) design for decades to come.

Her design work contributed significantly to creating early personal computer interfaces that were accessible, intuitive and fun.

23. David Carson

David Carson (b.1955) is an American designer whose design approach breaks all the rules. Throughout his career, he’s defied the established rules about grids, image placement and consistency to create a uniquely deconstructed style.

Carson’s work for iconic 90s music and culture magazine RayGun and other clients continues to influence countercultural design trends. In 2014, he was honored with an AIGA Gold Medal.

24. Peter Saville

From the same generation as David Carson, British designer Peter Saville (b.1955) is best known for his album cover designs. His designs for Factory Records visually defined much of the great music of the 1970s and 80s. His work for bands like Pulp, New Order, Suede and Joy Division stands out.

Carson’s astronomy-inspired cover for Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures (1979) remains iconic, appearing on posters, tattoos, clothing and animations.

25. Gail Anderson

Gail Anderson (b.1962) is best known for her creative use of typography as a graphic design element.

She was creative director at SpotCo from 2002-2010, where she created theater-oriented work, including playbills, posters and book covers. In 2013, she was commissioned to produce the commemorative postage stamp for the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Anderson has received major awards from the Type Directors Club, the Art Directors Club, Graphis, Communication Arts, Print, and the Society of Publication Designers. In 2008, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from AIGA.

15 Most Famous Graphic Designers in 2024

Hungry for more graphic design inspiration? I’ve identified 15 designers still working in 2024 who inspire the design world as we speak.

26. Louise Fili

Louise Fili (b.1951) initially rose to prominence as a book designer. As art director at Pantheon Books from 1978-1989, she designed nearly 2,000 book jackets. Fili is also known for blending historical typography with modern color palettes and compositions.

Today, her studio, Louise Fili Ltd., focuses on brand identities, logos and packaging, predominantly for the food and beverage industry.

27. Eddie Opara

British designer Eddie Opara (b.1972) has been a principal at Pentagram in New York since 2010. He’s won several prestigious awards from the Art Directors Club, D&AD, Type Directors Club, AIGA, and Communication Arts.

Opara recently worked on the branding for Ben’s Best Blnz, a cannabis company on a mission to advocate for criminal justice system reform.

28. Michael Bierut

American graphic designer Michael Bierut (b.1957) is perhaps best known for the designs he created for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Beirut has been a partner at Pentagram since 1990, where he champions accessible design that the viewer can easily absorb. Beirut’s campaigns have included work for The New York Times, the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Museum of Sex, and the New York Jets.

29. Stefan Sagmeister

Stefan Sagmeister (b.1962) is an Austrian designer based in New York City. In 1993, he established Sagmeister Inc., focusing on designs for the music industry.

Some of Sagmeister’s best-known album covers include work for Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, Talking Head and Jay Z. His work is in art collections worldwide. His most recent book, Now Is Better (Phaidon, 2023), highlights how much life has changed and improved for most people.

30. Chip Kidd

Chip Kidd (b.1964) has single-handedly changed the face of contemporary book cover design. His work includes the famous T-Rex skeleton motif used on the cover of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park (1990), which also became the iconic symbol of the 1993 film.

31. Aries Moross

Aries Moross (b.1986) is a rising star in the British design scene. They cut their teeth in music design, starting with hand-drawn flyers for the London music scene in 2007.

Moross draws attention for their typography and lettering, a skill they’ve brought to major art direction projects in the music industry for clients including Kylie Minogue, H.E.R., Disclosure, Spice Girls and London Grammar.

32. Morag Myerscough

Morag Myerscough (b.1963) is a London-based designer and artist known for her bold use of bright color in large-scale outdoor installations.

She’s created a “Temple of Love” on London’s Southbank, a giant camera obscura in Mexico City, and a traveling bandstand. These projects complement her impressive portfolio of commercial and advertising work.

Myerscough’s installations foster community with strong connections to local place-based identities. Her designs are intended to create interaction and a sense of immersion.

33. Lauren Hom

Designer and lettering artist Lauren Hom is known for her whimsical, colorful aesthetic and handmade touch. Her impressive client list includes Target, Google, Prudential, the Florida Department of Citrus, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Samuel Adams, and many more.

In 2014, she released a book based on her popular blog, Daily Dishonesty: The Beautiful Little Lies We Tell Ourselves Every Day. In addition, Hom hosts online courses and shares free resources on her website for aspiring designers.

34. Leta Sobierajski

Leta Sobierajski combines traditional graphic design elements with cutting-edge photography, art and styling. Her work uses striking geometric shapes, flat color and retro styling for a playful, often surrealistic, immersive experience.

She works with her partner, Wade Jeffree, as Wade and Leta from their New York studio.

35. Lindon Leader

Lindon Leader’s design motto is “simplicity and clarity.” A master of negative space, he started his career working with legendary designer Saul Bass and shot to fame with his iconic logo design for Fedex.

Leader’s Utah-based firm, Leader Creative, continues to produce award-winning corporate brand identity and design systems work.

36. Verònica Fuerte

Barcelona-based designer Verònica Fuerte is known for her friendly and inclusive design approach, which incorporates bold, bright colors and shapes. After just seven years in the industry, she established Hey Studio, creating a welcoming workspace defined by her community values.

Fuerte produces designs and visual systems for heavy-hitting corporate clients and small local ventures.

37. Osmond Tshuma

Osmond Tshuma is an award-winning Zimbabwean designer, artist and curator. Before starting his graduate degree, he was co-founder of the Johannesburg-based outfit Mam’gobozi Design Factory. He’s won several awards for his cutting-edge designs.

Tshuma draws on African aesthetics and iconography to create work for an impressive client list, including BMW, McDonalds, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the Africa Centre U.K., and the Apartheid Museum.

38. Tea Uglow

Tea Uglow founded Creative Labs for Google in London in 2007 and Sydney, Australia in 2012. Uglow’s work at Google Creative Labs focused on collaborations with cultural organizations, supporting artists and creators to use digital tools in their practice.

This ambitious designer left Google in 2023 and is now the director and co-founder of Dark Swan Institute. Uglow is also a writer and a committed LGBTQIA+ activist.

39. Lotta Nieminen

Lotta Nieminen, a Finnish designer and illustrator, has become well-known for her commercial work and children’s book design. She crafted the background of the Google Calendar app and is widely recognized for her bold illustration style and cutting-edge use of modern technology.

Niemenen’s work has earned her several international awards, exhibitions and features. Past clients include Facebook, Google, The New York Times, Bulgari and Volkswagen.

40. Sindiso Nyoni

Sindiso Nyoni, who also goes by R!OT, is a Zimbabwean graphic designer, illustrator and self-taught street artist based in Johannesburg. He’s received many international accolades, including Cannes Lions and Clio awards.

Nyoni uses mixed media and an edgy street aesthetic to create a unique hybrid style, which has won him notable clients, such as Hennessy, Netflix, Apple Music, Converse, the NBA, and many more.

Superside: Where the World's Best Graphic Designers Shine

Graphic design fundamentally shapes the world around us, determining how we receive information, engage with brands and products, and navigate our way through our environment. If done well, graphic design can increase access, advocate for equality and open up information in new and exciting ways.

It’s impossible to tell the entire story of graphic design in one list, but this article is a taste of the major players who have shaped the history of graphic design and continue to do so today.

As graphic design moves into the future, cutting-edge technology like Superside’s AI-enhanced capabilities will shape the art of design in unimaginable new ways. As one of the leading graphic design and branding companies in the world, you might soon see one of Superside’s own design superstars on a list like this one.

Are you looking to take your brand’s graphic designs from bleh to blow-away? Let’s chat.