AIGA Medalists

Designed by James Earle Fraser, 1920.

The medal of AIGA—the most distinguished in the field—is awarded to individuals in recognition of their exceptional achievements, services or other contributions to the field of design and visual communication. The contribution may be in the practice of design, teaching, writing or leadership of the profession. The awards may honor designers posthumously.

Medals have been awarded since 1920 to individuals who have set standards of excellence over a lifetime of work or have made individual contributions to innovation within the practice of design.

Individuals who are honored may work in any country, but the contribution for which they are honored should have had a significant impact on the practice of graphic design in the United States.

Meet the 2019 Medalists

• Alexander Girard, recognized for his effortless ability to move across innumerable surfaces and scales, his life-long innovative and inspirational cross-disciplinary design practice, and his undeniable impact on mid-century modernism in America.
• Geoff McFetridge, recognized for deftly relating design to time-based considerations (film titles, music videos, envisioning of AI) and vibrant sculptural forms, and welcoming graphically-charged outsider/street subculture into the mainstream conversation.
• Debbie Millman, recognized for skillfully designing both the form and expression as principal of Sterling Brands, alongside the medium by which the designer's voice can be amplified and understood through her award-winning podcast, Design Matters; for actively designing the pedagogy for the next generation of practitioners at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), Masters in Branding; and for her years of service and commitment to AIGA.

AIGA Awards Ceremony

Congratulations to the 2019 AIGA Medalists! The AIGA Awards presentation was integrated into the closing ceremony of the AIGA Design Conference in Pasadena on April 6, 2019. After more than 15 years, the ceremony returned to the annual conference program, our largest event of the year for creatives across the country to gather, be inspired, and grow. Enjoy our favorite moments in an online photo gallery.

Support AIGA

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Recommend a Medalist

Do you have a colleague or mentor who has made a significant impact on the practice of design in the United States? Nominate him or her for the AIGA Medal!

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