The Emerging Designer of the Year award, previously titled Young Designer of the Year, is presented annually at the Australian Book Design Awards. To be considered for Emerging Designer of the Year the applicant must have no greater than 5 years experience working as a book designer.

In 2021 the Emerging Designer of the Year was renamed The Deb Brash Emerging Designer of the Year in honour of the late Deborah Brash who passed away in 2020. A Hall of Fame Inductee, Deb was Art Director at Penguin Australia for almost a decade, helping to shape the careers of many young book designers. She was also a pivotal founding member of ABDA acting as our administrator during our fledgling year. Deb will be missed and forever remembered for her legacy in the Australian Publishing industry. Vale Deb.

2022   George Saad
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2021   Mika Tabata
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2020   Akiko Chan
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2019   Jessica Horrocks
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2018   Hazel Lam
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2017   Andy Warren
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2016   Murray Batten
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2015   Alissa Dinallo
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2014   Kirby Armstrong
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia

2013   Evi Oetomo
Sponsored by Hachette Australia

2012   Hannah Janzen 
Sponsored by Hachette Australia

2011   Emily O’Neill
Sponsored by Hachette Australia

2010   Adam Laszczuk
Sponsored by Hachette Australia

2009   Allison Colpoys
Sponsored by Hachette Australia

2008   Reuben Crossman
Sponsored by Hachette Livre Australia

2007   Nanette Backhouser
Sponsored by Hachette Livre Australia

2006   Natalie Winter
Sponsored by Hachette Livre Australia

2005   Not awarded

2004   Miriam Rosenbloom
Sponsored by Hachette Livre Australia

2003   Christa Moffitt
Sponsored by Hodder Headline

2002   Ellie Exarchos
Sponsored by Hodder Headline

2001   Not awarded

2000   Gerry Theoharis
Sponsored by Lonely Planet

1999   Danie Pout
Sponsored by Lonely Planet

1998   Visnja Brdar
Sponsored by Lonely Planet

1997   Chris Holt & Melanie Calabretta
Sponsored by The Australian Book Connection

1996   Jenny Grigg
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1995   Patricia Ansell
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1994   Joanne Miller
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1992   Visnja Brdar
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1991   John Douglass
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1990   Dimitrios Frangoulis
Sponsored by Reader’s Digest

1989   No award given

1988   Susie Agoston-O’Connor
Sponsored by Weldon International

1987   Deborah Brash 
Sponsored by Weldon Hardie

1986   Leonie Bremer-Kamp
Sponsored by Weldon Hardie

1985   Diane Quick
Sponsored by Weldon Hardie

1984   Zoë Gent-Murphy
Sponsored by James Hardie

1983   Sarah Laffey
Sponsored by James Hardie

 

The previous qualifier for Young Designer of the Year was to be aged 30 years and under.