Participate in the exciting IWD 2025 Lettering Challenge with the Typism community

Lettering provides a great opportunity for self-expression and statement-making, which is why International Women's Day is once again collaborating with the Typism Community for a sixth year of the Annual International Women's Day Lettering Challenge.

Talented lettering artists worldwide are creating amazing artwork to show their support for the annual International Women's Day campaign theme.

International Women's Day and Typism invite lettering artists worldwide - novice or experienced - to post their lettering creations across social media with the aim of showing solidarity in calling on communities to help challenge gender inequality and support the IWD 2025 campaign theme of Accelerate Action.

Typism 100 Directory showcases creators

Meet some talented creators who are part of the Typism global community, and are united by their shared love of letterforms.

These creators feature in the Typism 100 Directory that's designed to help lettering artists attract new clients and showcase their skills to a wider audience. Typism 100 is more than just a directory - it’s a community of the best and brightest in the lettering world. 

Meet Ouss Mezher

Ouss Mezher is an illustrator, surface designer, and lettering artist. She spends her time sketching and painting, crafting whimsical and symmetrical designs that exude an elaborate nature and sense of movement. As an educator, Ouss strives to share her knowledge by creating tools and classes that help fellow pattern designers achieve their artistic goals.

A graphic designer and an award-winning children's book illustrator, Ouss breathes new life into the world of repeat pattern design. As an artist, Ouss spends her time sketching and painting, crafting a distinctive style characterized as whimsical, symmetrical, elaborate nature, all with a sense of movement.

As an educator, Ouss strives to share \her knowledge with her students. Her goal is to guide them beyond the fundamentals of repeat pattern design, enabling them to explore their creativity and reach new heights in their artistic endeavours.

Since Ouss was a kid, she was always interested in drawing and illustration. Her creative curiosity led her to eventually explore the world of Interior Design and subsequently Graphic Design. 

Parallel to her career as a graphic designer, Ouss continued with her childhood passion, illustration. Ouss has illustrated several children’s book with publishers from around the world, from North America to the Middle East to Africa.

Ouss draws inspiration from both her design and illustration experience to create modern patterns that reflect her love for both nature and architecture. When Ouss is not working on a new project, she can often be seen doodling in her notebook or sketching on her iPad. 

Meet Sam Dubeau

For over 15 years, Sam Dubeau has been building and elevating brands, and creating lasting impressions through impactful visual identities and immersive experiences.

She supports engaging brand activation featuring live decorative lettering. Sam also specializes in large-scale events and other personalized design services - from invitations to signage to gifting- it’s all in the details!

Sam is a brand designer, lettering artist, and calligrapher - crafting big visions and inspiring others to tap into their creative self.

Sam has been creative since she was little, taking drawing and music lessons, and making creations on her grandmother's sewing machine.

Sam explored her interest in the arts further throughout high school, graduating with an Arts Plus Certificate, then receiving her BDes Hons at York University.

Over the years, Sam's work exhibited a strong connection to handmade objects and processes, but her love for pixels never faded.

So began her pursuit to achieve a beautiful balance between digital and physical.

Whether Sam is working with pixels or paper, she loves bringing creative visions to life.

Sam's professional work covers all phases of the creative process: conceptualization, strategy, direction, and execution, primarily focused on brand development and marketing collateral.

She works closely with businesses and individuals to bring their visions to life.

Sam also spend a great deal of time doing event work, as an on-site artist, a reviewer and panelist for portfolio critiques, and leading creative workshops.

Meet Oscar Diaz

Oscar Diaz is a creative art director, versatile artist, and graphic designer based in Montreal, with 18 years of experience crafting impactful designs for top creative agencies and clients.

Originally from Colombia, Oscar lives in Canada (and often inspired by his travels living abroad).

Oscar brings a global perspective to his work. Whether it's designing brand identities, websites, packaging, or illustrations, Oscar thrives on turning ideas into unforgettable visuals. 

Oscar specializes in murals, typography-driven branding, and detailed illustrations. His work merges lettering and illustration to create visually engaging pieces that tell powerful stories.

From custom murals to editorial illustrations, Oscar's projects transform spaces and brands with artistic flair.

Specialties span branding, typography, and intricate, finely crafted lettering and illustrations, ensuring a bold, lasting impact. Oscar collaborates with clients to turn their vision into a creative, memorable masterpiece.

Meet Mabel Garcia

A graphic designer and art director, Mabel Garcia is always growing to offer the best solution for each project.

Specialized in the world of letters, Mabel's skills include calligraphy, lettering, digital and printed design, motion graphics, and 3D modeling and animation.

Mabel is always discovering and exploring new styles and disciplines that help her grow as a professional to face each new project with greater determination. 

Meet Sirma Krusteva

Sirma Krusteva is a graphic designer and lettering artist, passionate about letters, patterns, branding, inspired by nature, music, all kinds of art and psychology.

Sirma loves visual arts and design, and finds greatest joy in creating patterns and lettering. Nature, family and music are her inspiration.

Sirma also loves psychology and mental health, and therefore uses a lot of quotes in her lettering designs.

Join the International Women’s Day Annual Lettering Challenge 2025

So, get involved with the annual IWD Lettering Challenge and show the world your creative spirit.

A selection of impactful entries and their creators will be featured on the International Women’s Day website, and on the IWD and Typism social media channels, throughout the year.

Furthermore, Typism will showcase some of its favorite #AccelerateAction creations across its platforms, so post your work on your social media feeds using the hashtags #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #IWDtypism as soon as possible for a chance to be featured now - and throughout the whole year.