2026 Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer Shortlist
Congratulations to shortlisted designers: Thomas Cumming
and Victoria Wigzell
Click on designer’s image for more information and examples of their work.
Thomas Cumming is an Ōtautahi born, Te Whanganui-a-Tara based, designer. He graduated with a Bachelor of Design from Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts at Massey University in 2021 and went on to complete a Master’s of Design in 2025. His design practice exists between wayfinding and printed matter, with the common thread of user experience bridging the two. Typographically led, his work is rigorous yet playful, with a strong sense of curiosity at the centre of it. With a particular interest in the ‘artists’ book’, or bookwork, he commonly approaches book design as a tool to ask questions — questions of: why this content; why this format and these materials; why this reading experience?
Victoria Wigzell is an experienced branding, packaging and brand experience designer with a particular love of book design.She’s drawn to design that breathes and communicates easily – white space, bold typography, and colour used with intention. Passionate about print and the tactile, Victoria finds book design particularly rewarding – a chance to see design translated into a finished piece that people can hold and keep. She enjoys working with people and helping bring their ideas to life with precision and care, believing the best creative work is always a collaboration.







