Jennifer Morla: “Design is Not Solely a Device That Supports Consumerism”

Posted inDesign Inspiration
Thumbnail for Jennifer Morla: “Design is Not Solely a Device That Supports Consumerism”

One of the best parts about recruiting judges for the Regional Design Annual: Getting a chance to browse their brilliant archives. Morla was one of the judges of the 2016 RDA. Below, you’ll find her words and works.


Jennifer Morla

Official bio: Jennifer Morla is president and creative director of Morla Design, San Francisco. With over 300 awards of excellence, her work has been recognized by virtually every organization in the field of visual communication. She is the 2010 recipient of graphic design’s most honored award, the AIGA Medal. Since opening Morla Design in 1984, she has continued to pair wit and elegance on everything from motion graphics and branding to retail environments and textiles. Her clients include Levi Strauss, Williams-Sonoma, Herman Miller, Stanford University, Sculpture Center, Mexican Museum and Design Within Reach. Morla’s work is part of many permanent museum collections including MoMA, SFMoMA and the Smithsonian. She has been honored with solo design exhibitions at SFMoMA and DDD Gallery in Japan, and has been published extensively, most notably in Meggs’ History of Graphic Design. She lectures and judges internationally and teaches senior design at California College of the Arts.

Path that led you to design: Three pivotal experiences, all occurring before I was a teenager: Growing up in Manhattan and viewing MOMA’s Design Collection; visiting the 1964 World’s Fair and seeing Charles and Ray Eames’ IBM exhibit and films; visiting the Art Department at Conde Nast, where my aunt was an editor. Breuer chairs, white formica, Irving Penn photos on the light box, designing women and a carousel of 100 Magic Markers. What’s not to love.

morla_design_design within reach_outdoor

Your career, in a nutshell: First job: age 21: PBS San Francisco. Second job: age 24: art director at Levi Strauss & Co. Third job: age 28: Morla Design. And from age 36: adjunct professor at California College of the Arts.

morla_design_iran_dissent_poster

Design Philosophy: Words are as important as images, and images can be more powerful than words.

morla_design_public_bikes_poster

The key to good design: Great design is, quite simply, innovation that reflects the spirit of an era and becomes a classic due to its timeless appeal.

morla_design_levis_501_jeans_book

Work of which you’re most proud: Mexican Museum Poster. It redefined the museum’s audience by rethinking how to perceive their identity.

morla_design_mexican museum poster

Moment in your life of which you’re most proud: In my personal life: Marrying my husband and raising two amazing daughters. In my professional life, receiving the AIGA Medal.

morla_design_tcho_chocolate_packaging

Cause that means the most to you: Any type of youth education.

morla_design_levis_poster_series

Favorite designer: Alvin Lustig

Favorite typographer: Firmin Didot

Favorite artist: Can’t name just one: Sol LeWitt, Alex Katz, Barnett Newman, Ann Hamilton and the expected: Warhol and Matisse.

Favorite city: Tokyo.

morla_design_williams_sonoma_markand graham_packaging

Biggest inspiration: Conceptual Art.

morla_design_new_langton_arts_catalog

What the Far West means to you: Think different.

morla_design_mark_graham_web

What tends to make the Far West’s design unique? Humor combined with smart solutions.

morla_design_williams_sonoma_markand graham_catalog_00

Motto: Design is not solely a device that supports consumerism. It can be a communicator of dissent. It can market ideology. It can effect change.

morla_design_herman_miller_collection