"Good design is good citizenship," Michelle Obama said, quoting the graphic designer Milton Glaser. She said that's because good design makes life better for everyone.

Michelle Obama is teaming up with TV's Tim Gunn to honor some of the nation's top designers — including the creators of popular computer fonts and Swiffer floor-cleaning products — at the White House.

The first lady hosts a luncheon Tuesday to honor winners of the 2011 National Design Awards. The awards are presented by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City.

Earlier Tuesday, Gunn of "Project Runway" fame will host a teen design fair at the Smithsonian to introduce Washington high school students to careers in design.

This year's design award winners include Matthew Carter for his lifetime achievements in typeface designs that include the Verdana and Georgia fonts for Microsoft. The Boston-based design consultancy Continuum wins for product designs including Reebok's Pump shoes and Swiffers.
http://cooperhewitt.org/nda/awards