A pleated filter element comprising: pleated filter media having a first side forming an upstream surface and a second side forming a downstream surface, the pleated filter media including a plurality of pleat flanks and a plurality of folds, adjacent pleat flanks (122A, 122B) connected by a corresponding one of the plurality of folds; and a plurality of structural embossments formed in at least one of the first and second sides of the pleat flanks, each structural embossment having a first end and a second end, the first and second end defining an embossment axis of the structural embossment, the embossment axis extending at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular orientation relative to the folds connected to the corresponding pleat flank; wherein a first structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments and a second structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments are formed in a first pleat flank of the plurality pleat flanks, the embossment axis of the first structural embossment extending at a different angle than the embossment axis of the second structural embossment; and wherein a third structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments is formed in a second pleat flank of the plurality of pleat flanks, a first fold of the plurality of folds being formed between the first and second pleat flanks (122A, 122B), the first end of the third structural embossment being positioned axially between the first ends (146A, 146A') of the first and second structural embossments (140A, 140A') along the first fold and the first end of the second structural embossment being positioned axially between the first and second ends of the third structural embossment, the first, second, and third structural embossments forming a shingled orientation. pleated filter media having a first side forming an upstream surface and a second side forming a downstream surface, the pleated filter media including a plurality of pleat flanks and a plurality of folds, adjacent pleat flanks (122A, 122B) connected by a corresponding one of the plurality of folds; and a plurality of structural embossments formed in at least one of the first and second sides of the pleat flanks, each structural embossment having a first end and a second end, the first and second end defining an embossment axis of the structural embossment, the embossment axis extending at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular orientation relative to the folds connected to the corresponding pleat flank; wherein a first structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments and a second structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments are formed in a first pleat flank of the plurality pleat flanks, the embossment axis of the first structural embossment extending at a different angle than the embossment axis of the second structural embossment; and wherein a third structural embossment of the plurality of structural embossments is formed in a second pleat flank of the plurality of pleat flanks, a first fold of the plurality of folds being formed between the first and second pleat flanks (122A, 122B), the first end of the third structural embossment being positioned axially between the first ends (146A, 146A') of the first and second structural embossments (140A, 140A') along the first fold and the first end of the second structural embossment being positioned axially between the first and second ends of the third structural embossment, the first, second, and third structural embossments forming a shingled orientation.