Alexandra Contreras - Baseline Magazine

Best-Selling Design Magazine

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US $10.00 CAN $10.00

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Author : Alexandra Contreras/Photography: Henr y Leutwiler

packaging–restaurants–logos–books “My advice is simple: follow your heart. Design what you are passionate about.”

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posters–typography–postage stamps

Formerly the senior director for Herb Lubalin, Louise Fili worked as art director of Pantheon Books from 1978 to 1989. She designed close to 2000 book jackets during her time there and has received Gold and Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators and New York Art Directors Club. Other recognitions include the Premio Grafico from the Bologna Book Fair, and three James Beard award Nominations.

Not only has her work made its way to a permanent collection in the Library of Congress, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, and the Bibliotheque Nationale, but Louise has also taught and lectured on graphic design and typography. In 2004, she was inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame and has been coauthor, with Steven Heller, of Italian Art Deco, British Modern, Dutch Moderne, Streamline, French Modern, Deco España, German Modern, Design Connoisseur, Typology, Stylepedia, Euro Deco, and Scripts.

Her work is widely recognizable due to the particular kind of style she brings throughout all of her work.

She set up the famous brand “Louise Fili Ltd”, in 1989, which specializes in logos for restaurants, foodpackaging, postage, posters, as well as book design.

Every year, she spends time in Rome and Venice, where she teaches a Master’s sponsored by the School of Visual Arts.

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Both of Louise’s parents were born in Italy, and though she now lives in New York, she has always deeply identified with her Italian roots. “On my first visit to Italy as a teenager, I fell in love with both the country as well as graphic design. Since then, Italy has been my greatest source of inspiration; I travel there often. Going to flea markets and book stores, and obsessively photographing shop signs is common for my visits. All of the references I collect deeply influence my design work, and has also led me to some of my own book projects including “Italian Art Deco”, “A Civilized Shopper’s Guide to Florence”, and “Italianissimo”.

“Since then, Italy has been my greatest source of inspiration; I travel there quite often.”

Her love of Italy is present in her latest project for the cover pages with which Rizzoli celebrates 150 years since the unification of Italy, but also the career of this extraordinary star of design. Louise has taken part in many logo designs over the past years, recently, she was responsible for redesigning the Good Housekeeping logo as part if its 100th anniversary celebration. Once again, she looked back at her favorite Italian graphic design elements as well as what Good Housekeeping has prided itself in representing for the past century. “Few emblems evoke a more positive response than the Good Housekeeping Seal. It is such an integral part of American vernacular that it has become a metaphor for anything worthy of approval. I was commissioned to redesign this widely recognized and respected consumer brand on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.

Although the seal had been redesigned many times over the past century, Good Housekeeping wanted a return to its classic qualities. The redesign sought to revive its history and retain the oval shape and signature star, while imbuing a contemporary typographic aesthetic. In this way it reflects the trust and reassurance of the Good Housekeeping

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warranty, as seen on a range of products, from Minute Rice to mattresses. The new seal exudes timeliness through restrained elegance and timeless classicism,” said Louise of the design. She prides herself in work like this that can maintain a classic look while still evoking a sense of renewal and refreshed feel to a company such as Good Housekeeping, which has been part of America for such a long time.

Tate’s top-rated chocolate-chip cookies (and cakes, pies, brownies, and blondies) are impossible to resist. Victorian-era illuminated letterforms inspired the logotype and packaging

Aside from clean, well thought-out packaging design, Louise has also taken part in the design work of over 200 book covers.The design featured in the cover page of this article represents the 256-page monograph featuring the nearly fortyyear career she has experienced. From books to restaurants, to food packaging and identities, with illuminating case studies.

Book covers designed for Rizzoli International during the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy Logo redesign for Good Housekeeping 100th anniversary This typographic overhaul, after 25 years, gave Sarabeth’s packages a look that measures up to its exemplary reputation

Tiffany monogram that could fit in the most exquisite accessories

The members of the Winterling family—veteran organic winemakers in Deidesheim, Germany—are living proof that the secret to happiness is a good sparkling wine Paperless Post logo, a website for elegant online stationery

Much of Louise’s work focuses around styles from the Victorian era. The computer is a wonderful tool for designers in her opinion, She recalls the times twenty years ago where designing a book jacket could take two to three weeks. Nowadays, one can design a book jacket in a matter of hours. At her studio, however, Louise prides herself in attempting to make her work look as though it was not created on a computer, but rather is a unique piece of authentic work. She tries to have the final product printed in letterpress whenever possible, since she believes it adds a tactile quality that is missing from our hyper-technical lives.

While solving the design problem is obviously what is most important, Louise is very particular about her personal approach to type and image. Because of this, she never designs anything that conflicts with her aesthetics or interests. Therefore, it is quite easy to identify a design as being her creation. Once her work is seen by someone, it is quite easy to spot other pieces she has been responsible for. Few designers have the attention to detail she prides herself in providing with evey single project.

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