Called one of the original Mad Men by some, graphic designer Herb Lubalin is a giant of American design and typography. Following his education at New York’s Cooper Union, he went to work in advertising and enjoyed an extremely successful career as an art director for over twenty years, until he left to start his own shop.

Managing his own business allowed him the freedom to focus on a broad cross-section of projects from magazines and posters to packaging design. It was a way for him to use typography, which he saw as away to communicate more than words themselves. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), “Lubalin helped push back the boundaries of the impact and perception of design—from an ill-defined, narrowly recognized craft to a powerful communication medium that could put big, important ideas smack in the public eye.”

Starting his own company also led to his collaboration with Mr. Ralph Ginsburg on a series of magazines (Eros,