176:, born on April 12, 1951, is an American graphic designer renowned for her adept use of typography and commitment to quality design. Her artistic inspiration derives from her passion for Italy, Modernism, and European Art Deco styles. Acknowledged as a trailblazer in the postmodern revival of historical styles in book jacket design, Fili seamlessly blends historic typography with contemporary colors and compositions. Commencing her career in the publishing industry, Fili gained prominence for her robust typographic approach, crafting nearly 2,000 book jackets during her tenure with Random House. Upon establishing her own design studio, she has directed her focus towards restaurant identity, food-related logos, and packaging.
81:
264:, where she eschewed standard fonts in favor of creating unique typographic treatments for each book jacket. Her approach extended to the physical surface treatment as well; Fili rejected the standard shiny finishes and foil-stamping on book jackets in favor of matte, laminated coatings which proved softer and more durable. "I was on a mission to prove that you didn’t have to shout to capture someone’s attention. The cover that I did for The Lover, by Marguerite Duras, was probably the best example of that." The success of her jacket for
25:
277:
In 1989, she opened her own studio, Louise Fili Ltd, specializing in the design of restaurant identity, food-related logos, and packaging. She sought to "change the accepted formulas of food packaging" by pursuing designs that were quiet and subtle, believing that "one does not have to shout to be
146:
Art
Directors Club Hall of Fame (2004), Art Directors Club Gold Medalist, Art Directors Club Silver Medalist, Society of Illustrators Gold Medalist, AIGA Medal (2014), Type Directors Club Medal of Excellence (2015), SVA Master Series Award and Exhibition (2016),
367:
Fili taught at the School of Visual Arts for over twenty year, in both the undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as the SVA Masters
Workshop in Rome every summer. She has also taught at the New School, New York University, and Cooper Union.
278:
noticed." During that time, there were few female-run companies, so she knew naming the company after herself could be a liability. She embraced this by sending the message: "If you have a problem with my being female, then I don’t want
188:
to
Italian immigrants, both schoolteachers. Fili has said that she was “interested in design before even knew what it was” and as a child, carved letterforms into her walls, designed book covers, and created
1124:
890:
980:
41:
Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance.
1289:
34:
894:
1284:
695:
274:, in 1984 allowed her increased creative freedom at Pantheon. Fili designed close to 2000 books during her tenure at the publisher.
988:
605:
225:, where she discovered her love for graphic design. Her senior project was an Italian hand-lettered cookbook. Fili moved to
1279:
253:, where she remained from 1976–78. She found type to be an expressive tool, which set the foundation for her later work.
1095:
700:
1229:
333:
1210:
322:
56:
1309:
662:
638:
326:
1247:
849:
579:
563:
544:
531:
509:
493:
477:
473:
463:
447:
437:
427:
411:
401:
391:
381:
350:
136:
933:
349:
Fili has authored and co-authored over twenty books, many of them with her husband, the design historian
1222:
Graphic Design, Referenced: A Visual Guide to the
Language, Applications, and History of Graphic Design
294:, and has created packaging for Sarabeth's jam, Tate's cookies, and Bella Cucina. Her geometric, often
218:
816:
981:"TDC Medalist Louise Fili: Typography Animated by a Passion for the Past - The Type Directors Club"
202:
1010:
916:
723:
1294:
651:
361:
270:
148:
1304:
190:
622:
Marseille, an Art Deco-inspired typeface with a distinctive flair that exudes La Belle France
234:
245:
After graduating, Fili began her career as a freelance designer on special project books at
1299:
891:"AGI : Archive Articles : AGI Dialogue: One Does Not Have To Shout To Be Noticed"
230:
543:"Shadow Type: Classic Three-Dimensional Lettering", London: Thames and Hudson, 2013 (With
8:
690:
329:. In 2015, she received the medal of lifetime achievement from the Type Directors Club.
635:
James Beard
Foundation Award, Outstanding Restaurant Graphics, Nominee (1998,1999, 2000)
1144:
185:
104:
1243:
1225:
1206:
845:
657:
318:
586:
The
Cognoscenti's Guide to Florence: Shop and Eat Like a Florentine, Revised Edition
221:
to study studio art. In 1973, she received a
Bachelor of Science in studio art from
287:
265:
222:
214:
1169:
753:
303:
1145:"Louise Fili | People | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum"
307:
261:
126:
1071:
1273:
1103:
283:
226:
788:
343:
a compilation of her
Italian sign photographs. This was followed in 2015 by
1198:
865:
257:
250:
410:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books (San Francisco, California), 1996 (With
360:
In 2021, she was recognized for her contributions to typography with the
246:
198:
1040:
724:"Design pioneer Louise Fili on gastronomic passion and gangster clients"
668:
311:
291:
80:
506:
Stylepedia: A Guide to
Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Conceits
1096:"School of Visual Arts | SVA | New York City > The Masters Series"
609:
299:
194:
116:
917:"Meet the Woman Behind The Tate's "T" and Other Food Logos You Love"
321:
nominations, and since 1998, she has been an elected member of the
604:
Mardell, an
Italian Futurist-inspired typeface designed for the
522:
Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best
1240:
Women Designers in the USA, 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference
842:
Women Designers in the USA, 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference
444:
Typology: Type Design from the Victorian Era to the Digital Age
295:
460:
Design Connoiseur: An Eclectic Collection of Imagery and Type
1262:
1242:. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 367.
1197:
953:
844:. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 367.
686:
Fili's work is held in the following permanent collections:
249:
from 1975-76. At 25, she was hired as a senior designer for
160:
408:
Cover Story: The Art of American Magazine Covers 1900–1950
524:, New York: The Little Bookroom, 2008 (With Lise Apatoff)
364:, one of the highest honors in the field of typography.
1125:"Library of Congress Online Catalog - System Error 500"
538:
Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili
562:"Stencil Type", London: Thames and Hudson, 2015 (With
233:
and finishing the last semester of her degree at the
434:
German Modern: Graphic Design from Wilhelm to Weimar
817:"Eye Magazine | Feature | Reputations: Louise Fili"
528:
Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age
388:
Dutch Moderne: Graphic Design from De Stijl to Deco
282:as a client.” She has designed identities for many
696:Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
378:Italian Art Deco: Graphic Design Between the Wars
371:
339:In 2014, Princeton Architectural Press published
1271:
540:, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012
424:British Modern: Graphic Design Between the Wars
592:Grafica de les Rambles: The Signs of Barcelona
470:Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-mannequins
674:Type Directors Club Medal of Excellence, 2015
508:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006 (With
492:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004 (With
446:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999 (With
436:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998 (With
426:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998 (With
400:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1995 (With
390:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1994 (With
380:, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1993 (With
290:, Picholine, Artisanal, The Mermaid Inn, and
197:lyrics. When she was 16, Fili taught herself
677:SVA Master Series Award and Exhibition, 2016
398:Streamline: American Art Deco Graphic Design
619:travel posters of Italy in the early 1900s.
298:-like designs show an affinity to European
35:promotes the subject in a subjective manner
1220:Vit, Armin; Palacio, Bryony Gomez (2009).
1219:
490:Euro Deco: Graphic Design Between the Wars
79:
1167:
516:The Civilized Shopper’s Guide to Florence
57:Learn how and when to remove this message
1290:American typographers and type designers
934:"Awards Search | James Beard Foundation"
681:
530:, London: Thames and Hudson, 2011 (With
345:Graphique de la Rue: The Signs of Paris.
914:
839:
608:and made as both a digital font and as
462:, New York: Allworth Press, 2000 (With
1272:
1205:. Berlin: Jovis. pp. 72–74, 444.
1011:"Goudy Award Presentation and Lecture"
783:
781:
779:
777:
775:
773:
578:London: Thames and Hudson, 2016 (With
518:, New York: The Little Bookroom, 2007.
325:. In 2004, Fili was inducted into the
1066:
1064:
1062:
1060:
1035:
1033:
1031:
975:
973:
915:Shapiro, Amanda (November 14, 2016).
594:, Princeton Architectural Press, 2017
588:, Princeton Architectural Press, 2017
572:, Princeton Architectural Press, 2015
559:, Princeton Architectural Press, 2015
553:, Princeton Architectural Press, 2014
928:
926:
811:
809:
807:
805:
748:
746:
744:
742:
740:
718:
716:
314:, and Italian posters of the 1930s.
184:Fili was born on April 12, 1951, in
18:
770:
557:The Cognoscenti's Guide to Florence
32:This article contains wording that
13:
1191:
1057:
1028:
970:
334:Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval
37:without imparting real information
14:
1321:
1254:
1015:Rochester Institute of Technology
1008:
923:
833:
802:
789:"2014 AIGA Medalist: Louise Fili"
737:
713:
615:Montecatini, was inspired by the
323:Alliance Graphique Internationale
1285:American women graphic designers
647:Silver Medal, Art Directors Club
23:
1161:
1137:
1117:
1088:
1002:
946:
866:"An interview with Louise Fili"
663:National Endowment for the Arts
639:Art Directors Club Hall of Fame
327:Art Directors Club Hall of Fame
908:
883:
858:
758:ADC • Global Awards & Club
644:Gold Medal, Art Directors Club
372:Books authored and co-authored
1:
1201:and Julia Meer., ed. (2012).
706:
474:Princeton Architectural Press
179:
893:. 2012-03-23. Archived from
598:
332:In 2009, she redesigned the
317:In 2000, she received three
208:
205:guide and an Osmiroid pen.
7:
1149:collection.cooperhewitt.org
500:A Designer’s Guide to Italy
353:. A monograph of her work,
336:for its 100th anniversary.
302:, particularly the work of
10:
1326:
1280:American graphic designers
1168:Fili, Louise (1998–1999).
1072:"Louise Fili - MFA Design"
665:grant (with Steven Heller)
229:in 1973, interning at the
219:Saratoga Springs, New York
629:
606:Hamilton Wood Type Museum
240:
155:
142:
132:
122:
112:
87:
78:
71:
16:American graphic designer
502:. (self-published) 2004.
1310:Skidmore College alumni
1224:. Rockport Publishers.
1203:Women in Graphic Design
1170:"BnF Catalogue général"
985:The Type Directors Club
652:Society of Illustrators
486:, 2002 (self-published)
362:Frederic W. Goudy Award
357:was published in 2012.
260:as the art director at
191:illuminated manuscripts
149:Frederic W. Goudy Award
701:Bibliothèque nationale
456:(self-published) 1999.
1238:Kirkham, Pat (2000).
840:Kirkham, Pat (2000).
682:Permanent collections
420:(self-published) 1997
341:Grafica della Strada,
235:School of Visual Arts
551:Grafica della Strada
256:In 1978, she joined
231:Museum of Modern Art
821:www.eyemagazine.com
691:Library of Congress
570:Graphique de la Rue
484:Logos A to Z Three
186:Orange, New Jersey
105:Orange, New Jersey
658:Bologna Book Fair
576:Slab Serif Type',
454:More Logos A to Z
319:James Beard Award
286:eateries such as
171:
170:
67:
66:
59:
1317:
1266:
1265:
1263:Official website
1235:
1216:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1181:
1174:catalogue.bnf.fr
1165:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1155:
1141:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1121:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1111:
1102:. Archived from
1092:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1082:
1068:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1037:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1021:
1006:
1000:
999:
997:
996:
987:. Archived from
977:
968:
967:
965:
964:
950:
944:
943:
941:
940:
930:
921:
920:
912:
906:
905:
903:
902:
887:
881:
880:
878:
877:
862:
856:
855:
837:
831:
830:
828:
827:
813:
800:
799:
797:
796:
785:
768:
767:
765:
764:
750:
735:
734:
732:
731:
720:
656:Premio Grafico,
288:Pearl Oyster Bar
266:Marguerite Duras
223:Skidmore College
215:Skidmore College
167:
164:
162:
101:
97:
95:
83:
69:
68:
62:
55:
51:
48:
42:
27:
26:
19:
1325:
1324:
1320:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1315:
1314:
1270:
1269:
1261:
1260:
1257:
1232:
1213:
1194:
1192:Further reading
1189:
1188:
1179:
1177:
1166:
1162:
1153:
1151:
1143:
1142:
1138:
1129:
1127:
1123:
1122:
1118:
1109:
1107:
1094:
1093:
1089:
1080:
1078:
1070:
1069:
1058:
1049:
1047:
1045:Louise Fili Ltd
1039:
1038:
1029:
1019:
1017:
1007:
1003:
994:
992:
979:
978:
971:
962:
960:
952:
951:
947:
938:
936:
932:
931:
924:
913:
909:
900:
898:
889:
888:
884:
875:
873:
864:
863:
859:
852:
838:
834:
825:
823:
815:
814:
803:
794:
792:
787:
786:
771:
762:
760:
752:
751:
738:
729:
727:
726:. 10 April 2014
722:
721:
714:
709:
684:
641:, inducted 2004
632:
601:
374:
304:Lucian Bernhard
268:'s bestseller,
247:Alfred A. Knopf
243:
211:
182:
159:
108:
102:
99:
93:
91:
74:
63:
52:
46:
43:
40:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1323:
1313:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1295:AIGA medalists
1292:
1287:
1282:
1268:
1267:
1256:
1255:External links
1253:
1252:
1251:
1236:
1231:978-1592534470
1230:
1217:
1211:
1193:
1190:
1187:
1186:
1160:
1136:
1116:
1087:
1076:design.sva.edu
1056:
1027:
1009:Byrne, Peter.
1001:
969:
945:
922:
907:
882:
857:
850:
832:
801:
769:
736:
711:
710:
708:
705:
704:
703:
698:
693:
683:
680:
679:
678:
675:
672:
666:
660:
654:
648:
645:
642:
636:
631:
628:
627:
626:
620:
613:
600:
597:
596:
595:
589:
583:
573:
567:
560:
554:
548:
541:
535:
525:
519:
513:
503:
497:
487:
481:
467:
457:
451:
441:
431:
421:
415:
405:
395:
385:
373:
370:
355:Elegantissima,
308:A.M. Cassandre
262:Pantheon Books
242:
239:
213:Fili attended
210:
207:
181:
178:
169:
168:
157:
153:
152:
144:
140:
139:
134:
130:
129:
127:Graphic design
124:
123:Known for
120:
119:
114:
110:
109:
103:
98:April 12, 1951
89:
85:
84:
76:
75:
72:
65:
64:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1322:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1305:Living people
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1277:
1275:
1264:
1259:
1258:
1249:
1245:
1241:
1237:
1233:
1227:
1223:
1218:
1214:
1212:9783868591538
1208:
1204:
1200:
1196:
1195:
1175:
1171:
1164:
1150:
1146:
1140:
1126:
1120:
1106:on 2018-03-31
1105:
1101:
1097:
1091:
1077:
1073:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1061:
1046:
1042:
1041:"Type Design"
1036:
1034:
1032:
1016:
1012:
1005:
991:on 2018-06-12
990:
986:
982:
976:
974:
959:
955:
949:
935:
929:
927:
918:
911:
897:on 2012-03-23
896:
892:
886:
871:
867:
861:
853:
847:
843:
836:
822:
818:
812:
810:
808:
806:
790:
784:
782:
780:
778:
776:
774:
759:
755:
754:"Louise Fili"
749:
747:
745:
743:
741:
725:
719:
717:
712:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
688:
687:
676:
673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
659:
655:
653:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
633:
625:
621:
618:
617:Stile Liberty
614:
611:
607:
603:
602:
593:
590:
587:
584:
581:
580:Steven Heller
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
564:Steven Heller
561:
558:
555:
552:
549:
546:
545:Steven Heller
542:
539:
536:
533:
532:Steven Heller
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
514:
511:
510:Steven Heller
507:
504:
501:
498:
495:
494:Steven Heller
491:
488:
485:
482:
479:
478:Steven Heller
476:, 2001 (With
475:
471:
468:
465:
464:Steven Heller
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
448:Steven Heller
445:
442:
439:
438:Steven Heller
435:
432:
429:
428:Steven Heller
425:
422:
419:
416:
413:
412:Steven Heller
409:
406:
403:
402:Steven Heller
399:
396:
393:
392:Steven Heller
389:
386:
383:
382:Steven Heller
379:
376:
375:
369:
365:
363:
358:
356:
352:
351:Steven Heller
347:
346:
342:
337:
335:
330:
328:
324:
320:
315:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
284:New York City
281:
275:
273:
272:
267:
263:
259:
254:
252:
248:
238:
236:
232:
228:
227:New York City
224:
220:
216:
206:
204:
200:
196:
192:
187:
177:
175:
166:
158:
154:
150:
145:
141:
138:
137:Steven Heller
135:
131:
128:
125:
121:
118:
115:
111:
106:
100:(age 73)
90:
86:
82:
77:
70:
61:
58:
50:
38:
36:
30:
21:
20:
1239:
1221:
1202:
1199:Gerda Breuer
1178:. Retrieved
1173:
1163:
1152:. Retrieved
1148:
1139:
1128:. Retrieved
1119:
1108:. Retrieved
1104:the original
1099:
1090:
1079:. Retrieved
1075:
1048:. Retrieved
1044:
1018:. Retrieved
1014:
1004:
993:. Retrieved
989:the original
984:
961:. Retrieved
957:
948:
937:. Retrieved
910:
899:. Retrieved
895:the original
885:
874:. Retrieved
872:. 2018-10-27
869:
860:
841:
835:
824:. Retrieved
820:
793:. Retrieved
761:. Retrieved
757:
728:. Retrieved
685:
650:Gold Medal,
623:
616:
591:
585:
575:
569:
556:
550:
537:
527:
521:
515:
505:
499:
489:
483:
472:, New York:
469:
459:
453:
443:
433:
423:
418:Logos A to Z
417:
407:
397:
387:
377:
366:
359:
354:
348:
344:
340:
338:
331:
316:
279:
276:
269:
258:Random House
255:
251:Herb Lubalin
244:
212:
183:
173:
172:
53:
44:
33:
1300:1951 births
1176:(in French)
1100:www.sva.edu
199:calligraphy
174:Louise Fili
163:.louisefili
113:Nationality
73:Louise Fili
1274:Categories
1248:0300087349
1180:2018-04-23
1154:2018-04-23
1130:2018-03-30
1110:2018-03-30
1081:2018-03-30
1050:2018-03-30
995:2018-03-30
963:2018-03-30
939:2018-03-30
901:2018-03-30
876:2019-05-28
851:0300087349
826:2015-12-08
795:2016-03-09
763:2018-03-30
730:2016-06-26
707:References
669:AIGA Medal
312:Jean Carlu
292:Via Carota
180:Early life
94:1951-04-12
47:April 2018
954:"Members"
870:Logo Geek
610:wood type
599:Typefaces
300:Modernism
271:The Lover
209:Education
203:Speedball
195:Bob Dylan
1020:20 April
201:using a
117:American
156:Website
1246:
1228:
1209:
848:
791:. AIGA
671:, 2014
630:Honors
296:Cubist
241:Career
151:(2021)
143:Awards
133:Spouse
107:, U.S.
1244:ISBN
1226:ISBN
1207:ISBN
1022:2021
846:ISBN
165:.com
88:Born
958:AGI
280:you
217:in
193:of
161:www
1276::
1172:.
1147:.
1098:.
1074:.
1059:^
1043:.
1030:^
1013:.
983:.
972:^
956:.
925:^
868:.
819:.
804:^
772:^
756:.
739:^
715:^
310:,
306:,
237:.
96:)
1250:.
1234:.
1215:.
1183:.
1157:.
1133:.
1113:.
1084:.
1053:.
1024:.
998:.
966:.
942:.
919:.
904:.
879:.
854:.
829:.
798:.
766:.
733:.
624:.
612:.
582:)
566:)
547:)
534:)
512:)
496:)
480:)
466:)
450:)
440:)
430:)
414:)
404:)
394:)
384:)
92:(
60:)
54:(
49:)
45:(
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.