In honour of International Women’s Day, we celebrate female designers, creative directors, and founders of design agencies and brands by discussing their journeys in design and sharing their inspirational work.   

Ashley Philips, co-founder and CEO, Six Cinquième

As co-founder and CEO of Canada’s Six Cinquième, Ashley Philips is dedicated to creating diverse voices in design and changing the established design culture, encouraging flexibility, intentionality, and balance. She, along with her creative partner, Miro LaFlaga, creates a low-pressure work environment that allows creativity to flow while prioritising the people behind the work. By producing meaningful work as the brand ethos, Six Cinquième works with clients who use their influence to make a positive change.

Here’s some of Six Cinquième’s work

"I never intended to have my own agency; it came out of necessity. The necessity to do meaningful work that I truly cared about, the necessity to have creative freedom, the necessity to create a space for and with diverse creatives where our ideas were valued and could thrive."

Find out more here.

Coralie Carré, Creative Director, ShopTalk/DEPT

Beginning her career in France and setting up a design studio with three female friends, Carolie Carre’s six-month move to London turned into working her way up as the Creative Director at ShopTalk/DEPT. As a brand and experience design studio, ShopTalk/DEPT helps complex brands achieve their goals through design and a commitment to leaving a positive impact on the planet, making it a future-facing design agency.

Here’s some of ShopTalk/DEPT’s work

"As a woman of colour, it generated a real lack of confidence about my place in the industry. I never had a female director, and there came a point when I felt tired of seeing the same types of profiles above me, despite changing jobs. Can you be something you can’t see? My answer for myself must be ‘yes’."

Find out more here.

Ira Carella, Art Director, Thinking Room Inc.

Fresh out of her Master’s Degree in Design, Ira Carella from Jarkata, Indonesia, worked her way up from an intern to heading the Thinking Room Inc. office with the heavy title of Art Director. Carella mastered the art of being a new mom and managing her role as the art director by finding a strategic balance between focus and energy. Looking at brands as having a soul, she creates her work with its own story, giving it personality. From managing projects to having her baby around the office, she brings empowerment to the design world and as the studio’s tagline states, ‘bringing fun to empowerment’.

Here’s some of Thinking Room Inc.’s work

"I think the most challenging phase of my career so far is right now… Living with a baby is unpredictable, so if you also have a demanding job your days are always hectic and full of pressure. I think the most challenging part is not time management, but focus and energy."

Find out more here.

Elizaveta Pogossov, Design Director, Accompany

With an upward spiral, Elizaveta Pogossov, an Australian with roots in Moscow, has steadily moved up the design ladder, where she now enjoys her role as the Design Director. An expert in branding, digital design, and art direction, she honed her skills by accepting challenges and jumping hurdles while embracing the thrill of thinking and creating. Inspired by Russian fables and fairy tales, Pogossov found the most effective tool to communicate is through illustrations combined with her knowledge gained through mentorships by strong female seniors, who taught her all about branding, ideating, and implementing design skill.

Here’s some Accompany’s work

"I built confidence in myself and developed my own idea of success… making the step-up to Design Director was really a way in which I could help other designers or creatives (within and outside the studio) to build that confidence in themselves."

Find out more here.

Paulina Carrizora, Founder, Manta Raya

Responsible for designing posters in school, Pauline Carrizosa graduated with her Master’s Degree in Design from Elisava Escola and runs her own branding studio, Manta Raya in Columbia. Her work features elements of quality, with extraordinary attention to detail. Carrizora strives to break the gender disparity in design and make sure women’s voices are heard through their work breaking stereotypes. A perfectionist in her work, she strives to deliver exceptional designs for her clients.

Here’s some Manta Raya’s work

"I am confident in my abilities and I am very rigorous when I work, but there is always this the ‘bad devil’ that lives in my head who is never completely satisfied."

Find out more here.

Shar Biggers, Founder and Creative Director, Provoke Design

From psychology and neuroscience to graphic design, Shar Biggers, the Founder and Creative  Director of Provoke Design, worked with big brands and names such as Amazon and on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and went on to launch her own studio. She believes in working with start-ups and women-owned businesses that have potential and deserve a chance to land big contracts and make it with the big brands.

Here’s some of Provoke Design’s work

“Only 2% of women-owned companies ever make it to 1 million in revenue, and it’s even less for Black and Hispanic groups. We often think of racial and socioeconomic disparities as being limited to healthcare or housing, but it stretches into business in various and what feels like infinite ways.”

Find out more here.

Credits: Design by Women