Jessica Walsh : What the launch of ‘&walsh’ means for graphic design

What the launch of ‘&walsh’ means for graphic design (2019) ⁣⁣

Following 10 years alongside Austrian designer Stefan Sagmeister, Jessica Walsh announced her step back from the NYC creative agency 𝘚𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 & 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘩 in July of last year. The duo have an extensive list of celebrated clients, ranging from Silicon Valley juggernauts Snapchat and Apple to the musical likes of Jay-Z. Though the two continue to collaborate & remain friends, Jessica’s departure and the launching of ‘&𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘩’ marks an intriguing point of transformation for the design industry, magnifying major gaps within gender equality at the corporate level. ⁣⁣
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Walsh studied graphic design at the private Rhode Island School of Design before meeting Sagmeister in 2010. The duo bursted onto the design scene in notable style 2 years later, announcing their alliance through a naked portrait of them standing side by side. The multi-talented illustrator has made her name a staple in the graphic design community through her brilliant ability to fuse eye-popping colour palettes with award-winning typography. Aside from her various accomplishments in graphic design, Walsh is also behind the popular project ‘𝟺𝟶 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨’, a social experiment she created that went viral and has since had its cinematic rights purchased by the Warner Bros. With a growing list of accolades, the birth of Walsh’s independent agency ‘&𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘩’ acts as a powerful statement in the realm of design. Gone are the days of a female artist or designer depending on a male counterpart to direct or embody their vision. Walsh would expand on this idea in an interview with De Zeen, pondering the fact that though 70% of design students are female, less than 5% of CEO’s at creative agencies are female. ⁣⁣
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In her quest to combat the above sexism in the industry, Walsh has founded the ‘𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘦 & 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯’ initiative to connect & empower creative women. She also delivers regular lectures/talks across NA & Europe shedding light on the issue. ⁣⁣