The Crit #34: Phil Garnham
Welcome to The Crit, Disegno’s fortnightly podcast that asks leading designers to reflect on their own career.
For those new to the show, each episode sees Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford invites a guest to Kef Music Gallery to look back on their past projects. Our guest reveals what worked best; what failed; what pushed their career to new heights; what feedback most shaped their practice; and what they feel needs to be redesigned.
At the end of each episode, to complete their crit, they’ll be asked to give themselves a grade for their career to date: fail, pass, commendation or distinction.
It’s a design-school crit, delivered every fortnight! Subscribe to the show here, or sign up wherever you get your podcasts from.
Our thirty-fourth guest on The Crit is Phil Garnham, accompanied by show host Oli Stratford.
Episode #34: Phil Garnham
Phil Garnham is the executive creative director of Monotype Studio, a company specialised in typesetting and logo and font design that manages one of the world's largest collections of typefaces.
Having studied Visual Communication at Middlesex University, Garnham initially entered the industry as an apprentice, before working his way up to direct type design projects at Fontsmith, a boutique type foundry that was acquired by Monotype in 2020.
Garnham has worked widely across different sectors, producing fonts and logos for media companies such as ITV and Channel 4, and food and drink companies including Sainsbury’s and Greggs. He also helped to develop accessible typeface FS ME, a font created in collaboration with Mencap, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities.
During his crit, Garnham talked about the changing landscape of type design, the joys of creating typography for broadcasting companies, and the difficulties of releasing typefaces into the world to have a life of their own.
Show Notes: Phil Garnham
Best design: FS Emeric
Worst design: FS Lola, a typeface used for Sainsbury’s and Greggs
Most successful design: Designing logos for broadcast companies such as ITV and Channel 4
Most impactful feedback: Look at a typeface or logo with fresh eyes by flipping it on its side or upside down
Dream design: Rebranding TG Jones (formerly known as WHSmith’s)
This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery London.
The Crit’s graphics were created by Leonhard Rothmoser.
The Crit’s music was created by Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki.