Women’s Role in Crafting Book Covers is an editorial design and archival research project that investigates the contributions of women to the history of book cover design and publishing. The project was inspired by the exhibition The Book Beautiful: Margaret Armstrong & Her Bindings at the New York Society Library and explores the often-overlooked role of women in shaping visual culture through book design.

Drawing from historical research and archival sources, the publication examines the work of pioneering female designers, with particular attention to Margaret Armstrong and her influence on bookbinding, ornamentation, and visual communication during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The project highlights how women contributed to the development of book design at a time when their creative achievements were frequently under recognized.

The editorial design employs a typographic and research-driven approach, using hierarchy, composition, and layout to organize and communicate historical content. Rather than relying on imagery as the primary visual element, the publication uses typography as a conceptual and structural device, allowing the research itself to shape the reading experience and guide the narrative.

By combining archival research with editorial design, Women’s Role in Crafting Book Covers seeks to bring greater visibility to the legacy of women in design history while demonstrating how publication design can serve as a platform for historical inquiry and cultural reflection.

Disciplines: Editorial Design, Book Design, Publication Design, Typography, Archival Research, Design History, Visual Communication.

Software: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.