Design Events

Design &, London 05/12/2025

A really inspiring day at Loughborough University London with lectures, mini talks and workshops. Loved hearing from Martin So at Kraft Heinz, Hattie Abbott from Bulletproof and Richard de Hoxar from StudioRookie, as well as joining a TypoCircle workshop with Alice Tosey.

  • So nice to chat with final-year Part C students, reconnect with tutors and meet industry professionals.

Banff Film Festival, Leamington Spa 08/11/2025

The Banff Film Festival took me on an adventure. From mountain biking in the Dolomites to kayaking down waterfalls in the Arctic Circle. My favourite film was ‘‘Welcome to the Pit’, a beautiful story about community and togetherness in Yellowknife, Canada, where locals have built their own ski hill in the harshest winter conditions imaginable.

  • Ice Waterfalls
    Professional kayaker Aniol Serrasolses travels to the remote Arctic landscape of Svalbard to run rivers and waterfalls formed by melting glaciers. Joined by expert kayakers and Arctic guides, he ventures into one of the planet’s most rugged environments, where reality exceeds even his boldest dreams.

    Dolomites – MTB
    Pro mountain biker Kilian Bron takes on the steepest trails of the Dolomites in a high-alpine ride filled with risk and precision. After 15 years of experience, he pushes his limits in this breathtaking rocky playground, blending technical skill with creative adventure filmmaking.

    Dropping Molly
    Climber Molly Mitchell attempts Crank It, one of Colorado’s most dangerous routes. After years of setbacks and serious injury, she confronts her mental health and questions what drives her to push beyond her limits in this powerful story of resilience and self-discovery.

    Soul Flyers – The Longest Line
    Wingsuit flyers Fred Fugen, Vincent Cotte and Aurélien Chatard set a world record by flying 7.5km in formation over Mont Blanc. Skimming past glaciers, cliffs and mountaineers.

    Welcome to the Pit
    In Yellowknife, Canada, a group of skiers and snowboarders transform a gravel pit into a community rope-tow hill. Set in a harsh Arctic landscape, this heartwarming film celebrates creativity, resilience and making the most of what you have.

BDF Gather, Birmingham 06/11/2025

BDF Gather’s event ‘Flagging The Issue’ featured four thought-provoking talks from Greg Bunbury, Cat Phillipps, Craig Oldham and Sarah Boris. Each offered fascinating insights into their work and the issues that drive them.

  • One quote that really stuck with me came from Cat Philips who said, ”We’re all creative, we just need to be given the space to be creative.” It feels especially relevant in a world that moves so fast digitally. 

Common Interest, London 30/04/2025

A new event I hadn’t attended before and one I’ll definitely return to. Run by Craft, Common Interest is a design event that brings the creative community together through industry talks. This evening’s lineup featured Studio Kiln, Reed Words, and Field.IO.

  • Studio Kiln spoke about designing for serendipity and the importance of creating an emotional connection. They shared the process behind their project for the RTS Cambridge Convention 2023. It was inspiring to hear how their creative process isn’t always linear, and to see the journey from initial concepts to final outcomes (and everything in between). They emphasised that “if you leave space for serendipity, you get unexpected outcomes.”

    Reed Words offered a glimpse into the world of copywriting and highlighted just how much of a game changer great copy can be, stating that “the right words can do anything - so use them and unleash them.”

    Field.IO closed the evening by reflecting on how we are arguably living through one of the most transformative moments of our lifetimes with the rise of AI, stating that “the age of intelligence is reshaping how we communicate, create, and make decisions.” They suggested that as designers, we could see AI not just as a tool, but as a visual communicator. Their lasting thought was “We’re building the conditions for collaborators - whether they’re human or AI.”

Portfolio Review, London 24/04/2025

BrandMe, a London-based design agency, hosted an evening of portfolio reviews for recent graduates. The event offered a valuable opportunity to meet the team, gain insight into their creative process, and receive one-on-one feedback on our work. A special thank you to Georgia Howell for her insightful advice and guidance.

  • It was particularly exciting to learn more about an agency that specialises in packaging design-an area I’m genuinely curious about and eager to explore further.

BDF Gather, Birmingham  11/04/2025

BDF Gather is a biannual design event, and this edition, titled Turn Up For The Books, brought together five diverse voices in design - Sauman Wong, Jamie Ellul, Jim K Davies, Danah Abdulla, and Chris Ashworth. Each speaker shared insights into their creative journey and the process behind designing and producing their own books.

  • Sauman Wong shared some of her favourite book projects from over her career, including one that focused on individual textile materials. It was fascinating to see how she combined striking photography with carefully chosen typography to create a 'textile dictionary'-a book that has since become a go-to reference for textile students.

    Jamie Ellul and Jim K Davies spoke about their journey from starting a blog on band logos to eventually designing and printing a book on the subject. It was refreshing to hear how the process wasn’t straightforward, but through perseverance and the support of a creative community, the book came to life.

    Danah Abdulla featured in a Q&A session, Danah Abdulla discussed themes from her book Design Otherwise, which calls for a rethinking of design education beyond Eurocentric frameworks by centering local voices and cultural contexts. With a focus on the Arab region-particularly Jordan, alongside Lebanon, Egypt, and the UAE-she highlighted the need for a more collaborative, socially grounded approach to design. The talk was eye-opening, and she closed with a powerful reminder: “Not everything is about design, but design is about everything.”

    Chris Ashworth closed the evening by sharing key turning points in his design career and the journey that led to creating his book. His practice centres around analogue techniques-crafting everything by hand and treating the computer as just one of many tools. His stories of finding design in unexpected places, from typography on pavements to decaying type on old boats, were a powerful reminder of the creativity found in everyday surroundings. It was refreshing to hear from a designer who embraces a more hands-on, unconventional approach in an increasingly digital world.

Nicer Tuesdays, London 01/04/2025

I love attending the It’s Nice That ‘Nicer Tuesdays’ event each month. It’s always such a great opportunity to get inspired and learn from a variety of amazing creatives. This month, I had the pleasure of hearing from Studio Nari, Fromm Studio, Hannah Lim, and Ana Flores.

  • Ana Flores shared her beautiful photography, deeply rooted in her Peruvian heritage. One of the most touching aspects of her work is how she features her grandmother in her photo series, the love and admiration she holds for her is truly heartwarming. Ana left us with an encouraging message: to trust our gut and enjoy the process of creating.

    Fromm Studio brought a fun and refreshing energy as they walked us through their journey-learning how to build 3D characters, bring them to life through movement, and continuously explore the intersection between physical and digital outcomes. They use tools like the Polycam app, Blender, Adobe Mixamo, and AI motion capture. Despite being a relatively new studio, they've already worked with major names like Spotify and Selfridges & Co.

    Hannah Lim’s work stood out for its boldness and colour. Drawing inspiration from her Chinese heritage, she creates visually rich and meaningful pieces. One project that particularly caught my attention was her afternoon tea collection-where she designed not only the crockery but also each individual course. It was incredibly imaginative and beautifully executed.

    Studio Nari wrapped up the evening by presenting their latest project, Field Day. From brand direction and motion graphics to visual storytelling, I was in awe. It was especially interesting to hear how they’re embracing AI-using it to generate insects that became part of the visual identity. They ended with a thought that tied back to their studio slogan, “Not always right ideas”-prioritising design that inspires human connection. As they put it, “People don’t remember what they see, they remember how they felt.”