A common question among designers is “who are your favorite/most influential designers?”. Here are 5 of mine, as well as some reading material to go along with them.

Alvin Lustig

The life and design of Alvin Lustig is one of my favorite books on my shelf. It has gorgeous photos of a ton of his work ranging from graphic design to textiles.

Buy on Amazon

Dieter Rams

This man needs little introduction being one of the most influential industrial designers of the 20th century. The products he designed at Braun are commanding an insane value these days, and his minimalist style can be found at most of the products at apple.

Buy on Amazon

Frank Chimero

Frank is a super down to earth guy that I love having conversations with. His book The Shape of Design was one of the fastest funded projects on kickstarter, and takes a look at the process of design, not just the how to parts.

Buy from Buyolympia

Doyald Young

This man was the master of type, clearly shown in the contents of these two amazing books. If you’re into type in the slightest, you owe yourself to check these out.

Dangerous Curves - Buy on Amazon

Logotypes & Letterforms – Buy on Amazon

David Ogilvy

While maybe Ogilvy isn’t as much a designer as the others on this list, he holds one of the titles of the more influential ad men in the middle of the century.

Buy on Amazon