Tradespeople

I started Tradespeople after my own frustrating, intimidating experience of hiring tradies. I really reflected on that, to me that was annoying, but I thought, for anyone feeling vulnerable, for whatever reason, would perhaps find this experience frightening. It’s in your home, it’s invariably people you don’t know. And I thought two things: surely there is a better, more respectful way; and also where are the women in these industries? I wondered this because of all the tradespeople I hired, only one wasn’t a guy. This project is the outcome of that query.

Tradespeople profiles women and gender-diverse people working in the trades, and connects them to customers looking for repairs, maintenance, or to start new projects.  There are plumbers, plasterers, painters, builders, composting gurus, upholsterers and even asbestos removal services from around the country — all with a point of difference: all are businesses with women or gender-diverse people at the helm. Tradespeople was founded in 2021 to transform the trade industries by celebrating, and normalising women and gender diverse people within it, and to build a safe and inclusive space for everyone — both people delivering and people buying trades services.

Simplicity is delivered through restrained use of type, grid and colour blocking, visually expressing the experience and adding a playfulness. It’s purposefully counter to what much of the other directories in this industry look like. It’s typographically led — and all about “the list”. I wanted it to be easy to use, to feel considered, to be something that the people listed on here would be proud to be associated with, and that could live comfortably within the communities and industries we collaborate with.

Photography by Frances Carter, Claire Mossong, Lula Cucchiara.
Web development by Meide.