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Design Systems • Tooling • UI Platforms

Design Systems • Tooling • UI Platforms
Gwendy Wendell in the woods, looking at the camera

Large systems. Distinct brands. Shared foundations.

Selected Work

  • Verso — Condé Nast: Global design system used across 15+ publications.
  • Astro Design System — Rocket Communications: Design tooling, Figma plugins, and component architecture.
  • Sass Breakpoint: Responsive design library used across the Sass ecosystem.

I build large design systems for complex platforms. At Condé Nast, I helped architect Verso, a token-driven design system used across 15+ publications including Vogue, The New Yorker, WIRED, Bon Appétit, Pitchfork, and Vanity Fair.

I design the tokens, components, tooling, and workflows that let teams share a foundation without flattening each brand’s identity.

I build Figma plugins and design tooling that connect design systems to production code using tokens and JSON as a shared source of truth. I work in both Figma and the browser, translating design intent into resilient components and APIs.

I also contribute to the design and front-end community through open-source tools, writing, speaking, and meetups. I’ve spoken about design systems, responsive architecture, and design in the browser.

Experience & Impact

  • Lead Design Systems Engineer at Condé Nast: I helped architect Verso, a multi-brand design system for 15+ publications, with token-driven architecture, shared components, brand identity configuration, and design tooling.
  • NBC: I led responsive front-end engineering for large-scale redesigns, including USA Network and Oxygen.
  • Phase2: As the agency’s first designer/engineer, I designed and prototyped responsive web experiences for clients including the United Nations and Estée Lauder.
  • Zivtech: As creative director, I directed UX and creative strategy, built front-end processes, and mentored designers working across design and code.

Design Systems

I design systems architecture for UI platforms that need to scale across products, brands, and teams. That work includes design tokens, component libraries, multi-brand theming, documentation, adoption patterns, and tooling that keeps design and engineering aligned.

Let’s Connect

If your team needs a design systems engineer for UI platforms, multi-brand theming, design tooling, or design-to-code workflows, I’d love to talk.

I’m also available for speaking on design systems, responsive architecture, and designing in the browser.