Podcast Summary: Women Designers You Should Know
Episode: 040. Tomoko Miho and Jessica Strelioff: Designing Space with Soul
Host: Amber Asay
Release Date: April 29, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 040 of "Women Designers You Should Know," host Amber Asay delves into the impactful career of the esteemed designer Tomoko Miho while engaging in an insightful conversation with Jessica Strelioff, co-founder of Good Side Studio. This episode not only celebrates Tomoko Miho's remarkable legacy but also explores Jessica's personal journey in the design industry, highlighting themes of resilience, creativity, and intentionality in design.

Guest Introduction: Jessica Strelioff

Amber Asay introduces Jessica Strelioff, emphasizing the alignment between Tomoko Miho's design philosophy and Jessica's work at Good Side Studio. Jessica brings a wealth of experience from her diverse career, making her an ideal guest to discuss both historical and contemporary design landscapes.

Jessica Strelioff’s Career Journey

Jessica begins by recounting her early career at Farm Design in Pasadena, California, where she gained foundational experience in graphic design, illustration, restaurant branding, and packaging. Reflecting on her time there, she notes:

“It was super, super fun. I was there for a couple of years, learned a ton.”
[02:33] - Jessica Strelioff

Jessica's ambitions led her to explore opportunities beyond Farm Design, including a pivotal role at Yahoo in San Francisco. Although her stint at Yahoo was brief—lasting just a year—she gained valuable insights into corporate design and internal branding processes. Her subsequent move to Asana allowed her to lead a significant rebranding project, deepening her understanding of robust strategy and brand positioning.

Key Career Highlights:

• Farm Design: Early role with a broad scope in design projects.
• Yahoo: Focused on onboarding flows and icon design.
• Asana: Led an internal rebranding team.
• Upper Quad, San Francisco: Worked on high-profile projects for clients like Google, Instagram, and Patagonia, where she met Danielle, her future co-founder at Good Side Studio.
• Good Side Studio: Co-founded with Danielle, emphasizing brand strategy and visual design.

Founding Good Side Studio

The transition to founding Good Side Studio was driven by Jessica's desire for creative autonomy and a balanced work-life structure. After experiencing burnout from corporate environments, Jessica took the leap into freelancing, which eventually led to the partnership with Danielle. Together, they established a studio rooted in mutual respect and complementary skills:

“This is how we build full of life brands. It’s really marrying the two together.”
[11:07] - Jessica Strelioff

Key Aspects of Their Partnership:

• Complementary Roles: Danielle as the brand strategist and Jessica as the visual design lead.
• Remote Collaboration: Based in different cities (San Francisco and Austin), they effectively manage their partnership remotely.
• Lifestyle Business: Emphasis on work-life balance, accommodating personal goals and family needs.
• Client Selection: Attracting clients aligned with their values and work style, often sheeding clients who may bring unnecessary stress.

Challenges Faced by Women Designers

Jessica discusses the gender dynamics within the design industry, particularly in male-dominated agencies. She shares experiences where her gender was used as a quota-filling measure rather than a recognition of her skills:

“I don’t know... that feels like you’re just kind of like hitting your quota.”
[21:21] - Jessica Strelioff

Challenges Highlighted:

• Tokenism in Hiring: Being hired primarily because of gender rather than merit.
• Male-Dominated Workplaces: Navigating environments where female designers may feel excluded or undervalued.
• Client Relationships: Ensuring clients respect and align with their studio’s values, often encountering clients who prefer not to work with women.

Jessica and Amber also discuss the broader industry imbalance, noting the scarcity of large, female-owned design agencies compared to smaller, women-led studios like Good Side Studio.

Tomoko Miho’s Life and Legacy

Amber Asay transitions to the central focus of the episode: Tomoko Miho. Born in Los Angeles in 1931 to Japanese immigrant parents, Tomoko's early life was marked by the forced relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II. This period of upheaval laid the foundation for her profound resilience and innovative spirit.

Key Milestones:

• Education: Studied at the Minneapolis School of Art and later at Art Center in Los Angeles, where she received a full scholarship.
• European Influence: In 1960, Tomoko and her husband James Miho embarked on a six-month journey across Europe, immersing themselves in the continent's rich design culture. This experience profoundly influenced her design philosophy, blending European modernism with Japanese minimalism.
• George Nelson Associates: Upon returning to the U.S., Tomoko joined this prestigious New York design firm, eventually succeeding Irving Harper as head of the graphic design department. Her work with Herman Miller and MoMA during this period became iconic, setting new standards in furniture catalog design.

Discussion of Tomoko Miho’s Design

Jessica provides an in-depth analysis of Tomoko Miho’s notable works, emphasizing her mastery in spatial design, minimalism, and innovative use of materials.

Notable Projects:

• Great Architecture in Chicago Poster (1967):
  "[...] it's just like the dream."
  [31:31] - Jessica Strelioff
  An optical marvel that plays with reflections and negative space, creating illusions of buildings through innovative screen printing techniques on metallic paper. This poster is now part of MoMA's collection and is highly sought after, with originals selling for upwards of $8,500.

• OmniPlan Logo (1967):
  A dynamic, perspective-shifting logo for a Dallas-based architectural firm, showcasing Tomoko’s ability to merge form and meaning seamlessly.

• Miho Associates and Tomoko Miho & Co.:
  Collaboration with her husband James through Miho Associates and later establishing her own independent practice, Tomoko Miho & Co., in the 1980s. This move underscored her commitment to creative control and her distinctive design voice, focusing on institutional and cultural clients like the Smithsonian and MoMA.

Design Philosophy: Tomoko Miho’s work embodies a blend of European modernism, Japanese minimalism, and American pragmatism. Her designs are characterized by:

• Sculptural Elements: Playing with depth, planes, and perspective.
• Minimalism: Emphasizing space and restraint.
• Intentionality: Every element in her work serves a purpose, creating harmonious and elegant compositions.

Tomoko Miho’s Recognition and Impact

Tomoko Miho received significant accolades for her contributions to design, including the prestigious AIGA Medal in 1993—making her the second woman ever to receive this honor, following Mame Massey in 1959.

Key Recognitions:

• AIGA Medal (1993): Honored for her minimalism and modernist style.
• Solo Exhibit at MoMA (1974): Featured as the only woman and person of color in the "Four Graphic Designers" exhibit, highlighting her unique take on design.

Tomoko Miho's legacy continues to inspire designers today, with her timeless work serving as a benchmark for thoughtful, sophisticated design that gracefully blends functionality with aesthetic elegance.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Amber and Jessica reflecting on Tomoko Miho’s enduring influence and the importance of recognizing and celebrating women designers who have shaped the industry. Jessica expresses her admiration for Tomoko’s quiet confidence and the purposeful nature of her work, emphasizing the profound impact of her designs.

Final Thoughts from Tomoko Miho:

“Good design is about understanding space positive, negative, and everything in between.”
[55:00] - Amber Asay

Takeaways:

• Legacy of Tomoko Miho: A testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of thoughtful design.
• Jessica Strelioff’s Journey: An inspiring example of navigating the design industry with intention and creating a balanced, impactful career.
• Celebrating Women in Design: Highlighting the crucial role women have played and continue to play in shaping the design landscape.

Notable Quotes

• Jessica Strelioff on Early Career:

  “It was super, super fun. I was there for a couple of years, learned a ton.”
  [02:33]

• Jessica on Gender Dynamics:

  “I don’t know. That feels like you’re just kind of like hitting your quota.”
  [21:21]

• Amber on Tomoko Miho’s Design Philosophy:

  “Tomoko Miho once said that good design is about understanding space positive, negative, and everything in between.”
  [55:00]

Resources and Further Exploration

• Good Side Studio: Goodside Studio
• Jessica Strelioff on Instagram: @goodside.studio, @esskastrelief
• Tomoko Miho's Interview Video: Available in the show notes.
• AIGA Medal Information: AIGA Website

Listener Call-to-Action

Amber encourages listeners to support the podcast by leaving a five-star review and sharing the episode with fellow designers. This helps amplify the stories and legacies of influential women in the design industry.

“Every rating, every word and every share helps bring more visibility to the women whose names and legacies deserve to be known.”
[55:18] - Amber Asay

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Women Designers You Should Know." Until next time, let's continue to redesign history by celebrating the incredible women who shape our world through design.