‘Women in Type’ - CommMA Public Seminar Series (Online)
Discussion by Fiona Ross and Alice Savoie
15:30–17:30 BKK time

CommMA had the honor of hosting Fiona Ross Hollom and Alice Savoie, who shared insights from their remarkable research project, Women in Type. Their talk guided us through the often-overlooked contributions of women to type history, spanning from the early 1900s—when women took on manual roles in the industry—to the 1980s, when advancements in type technology brought shifts in their roles and societal perceptions of women in the workplace.

This project isn’t just about design history; it’s also a deep dive into social history, uncovering stories from the margins of an industry traditionally dominated by men. Fiona and Alice explained how their research required innovative methods—such as interviews, interpreting handwritten notes, and analyzing photographs of women at work in type foundries—to piece together a narrative often absent from formal records.

It was an incredible opportunity for our CommMA students and the public to learn from such prominent researchers in type design. Learn more about their research at https://www.women-in-type.com. Stay tuned for more thought-provoking lectures from the Seminar in Communication Design series—updates coming soon on our social media!

About the Guest Speakers

Fiona Ross (PhD) is a British type designer, author, and lecturer. Since 2003, she has been associated with the University of Reading (UK) where she is Professor in Type Design. She has received numerous accolades, including the 2014 SoTA Typography Award and the 2018 TDC Medal.

Alice Savoie is a French type designer, researcher, and teacher. She holds an MA in Typeface Design and a PhD from the University of Reading. Her research interests deal with twentieth century type design, its relationship to technological changes, and the role of women in type history.