By Julie E 
Photo Credit ( Greety Image )
While many disciplines, such as physics or mathematics, reward young talent, the subject of design frequently benefits from experience and the wisdom that comes with it. These ten designers demonstrate that artistic breakthroughs can occasionally occur after years of life experience and that creativity can bloom at any age. Let us honor these extraordinary individuals who found their calling after the age of forty.
Corita Kent
Later in life, Corita Kent—also known as “Sister Corita”—became a pop art star. In her 40s, she started to receive a lot of notice for her work, which combined vivid colors with pop culture. Despite receiving a cancer diagnosis in her 50s, Kent continued to produce a great deal, elevating her to the status of an artistic icon. Her posthumous AIGA gold solidified her status as a trailblazer of the 1960s counterculture in the annals of art.
Wang Vera
Vera Wang, who was born in 1949, had figure skating as her first love and even trained for the Olympics in 1968. However, when she started working at Vogue as a temporary assistant, her career path took a significant turn. She rose through the ranks and opened her own bridal boutique at 41 Madison Avenue. Since then, Vera Wang’s name has been synonymous with opulent bridal gowns, and her brand has grown to include jewelry, housewares, and fragrances.
Herbal Lubalin
Herb Lubalin, dubbed the “typographic impresario of our time,” revolutionized print media in the 20th century, although his ascent to prominence was not rapid. Despite being colorblind, Lubalin opened his own studio at 46 years old, having worked in advertising for 19 years. His solo efforts established him as a leader in design by resulting in the founding of three legendary magazines: Fact, Avant Garde, and Eros.
Carson David
David Carson started off as a high school teacher in Oregon before enrolling in a summer program when he fell in love with design. At the age of 41, he founded his own studio in New York and published his groundbreaking book The End of Print. Renowned for his audacious and nonconformist aesthetic, Carson has collaborated with prominent international companies and, at sixty, was dubbed “the most famous graphic designer in the world” by CASA magazine.
Cooper Muriel
Muriel Cooper, a pioneer of digital design, was 52 years old when she first encountered computers. Her career had focused mostly on print until then. After becoming interested in the potential of digital media, she later co-founded MIT’s Media Lab and established the Visible Language Workshop. Cooper, who was awarded an AIGA medal at the age of 69, is a living example of the value of lifelong learning.
Designer Christian Dior
Christian Dior, a Normandy fertilizer manufacturer’s son, followed an unusual career path in fashion. He served in the military for a time before entering the fashion industry at the age of 37. At 41, he established the House of Dior. His 1947 New Look collection, with its luxury and audacious femininity, revolutionized post-war fashion and brought Dior into international renown.
Nelson George
George Nelson, who is most recognized for his contributions to industrial and furniture design, rose to prominence at the age of forty when he was appointed Design Director of Herman Miller Furniture. Nelson was a multi-talented man who was a journalist, photographer, and architect. He felt that design was more about discovery than creation, and his work still has an impact on contemporary design.
Brodovitch, Alexey
Alexey Brodovitch oversaw Harper’s Bazaar’s art design for 24 years, changing the publication’s visual identity and enhancing its post-war image. Despite having a late start in design, Brodovitch—a former military officer and professor—went on to become a renowned tutor to photographers such as Richard Avedon and Diane Arbus. His directive to his pupils? “Amaze me!”
Armani Giorgio
Giorgio Armani, a 41-year-old former medical student, pursued his dream and started his own label. His work subverted conventional gender conventions in fashion with its flexibility and clean lines. With time, Armani’s brand grew to include electronics, accessories, and fragrances, solidifying his reputation as a leader in style and innovation.
Hermann Zapf
Hermann Zapf created over 200 fonts, including the renowned Palatino and Optima, which have influenced the way we communicate. Zapf’s original plan was to become an electrical engineer, but after being turned down for engineering school due to political reasons, his professional path changed. In his 40s, he switched to calligraphy and printing, creating his most well-known fonts.