Hi First name / friend,
I’m writing this from my parents’ house in Dorset, England. My sister had her second baby two weeks ago, so I came back to meet the newest family member. It’s been refreshing to step away from Amsterdam, breathe in the countryside, and slow down a little — focusing less on work for a change. (and also having someone else cook me dinner every night is THE DREAM, thanks mum.)
Last week, I asked at the end of this newsletter (and it’s okay if you didn’t scroll that far!) When was the last time a mistake led to your best design idea? I got some really interesting replies. Many of you shared how those messy mistakes often sparked unexpected and exciting design outcomes. To me, that’s a powerful reminder to stay open, experiment freely, and avoid getting too hung up on chasing one perfect idea. Sometimes, mistakes are the best way to discover something truly brilliant. Right, let's jump into this week's edition shall we?
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A Mockup Never Looked So Chic
Oh you know I love a fancy mockup, and this one I found this week is a goodie! This open book mockup on a velvet chair is a beautifully styled, high-end scene perfect for showcasing editorial layouts, photo books, or premium print design. It’s a great choice if you want your work to feel tactile, elegant, and thoughtfully presented, ideal for portfolios, client decks, or product previews. |
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World-Class Packaging Design, All in One Place
The Pentawards is one of the most prestigious competitions in the world dedicated to packaging design. Since 2007, it has celebrated the best and most innovative work in the field, judged by a global panel of experts from leading brands and agencies. It's where the industry’s top talent gets recognised for pushing creative boundaries across categories like food, beauty, tech, and sustainability.
The 2025 shortlist is now live, and it’s packed with brilliant ideas and beautifully crafted packaging from around the world. If you’re into design, this is a must-see. Get screenshotting, saving your favourites, and following the creatives behind the work. It's the perfect place to spark new ideas and see where packaging design is heading next. |
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Wim Bakery Serves Up a Delicious Identity Kevin Högger has designed a bold and beautifully considered identity for Wim, a bakery in Zurich known for its artisanal sourdough. The branding pulls directly from the bakery’s tiled interior, using a green grid system that runs consistently across print, packaging, and merchandise. There's also a clever halftone texture applied to photography, mimicking the look of flour-dusted surfaces and bringing warmth and craft into the visuals.
The logo is especially smart, with a subtle croissant shape worked into the letterforms, something refined through dozens of iterations to get just right. Since launching, the branding has extended onto merch like T-shirts and tote bags (you guys know by now how I feel about a pointless tote bag…), worn by customers and fans of the bakery. It's a great example of graphic design that’s not just thoughtful and distinctive, but genuinely loved in the real world. |
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10 Years of Koto Design Studio I was already a total fan girl of Koto before, but after listening to James Greenfield’s interview on The Creative Boom Podcast, I’m officially obsessed. Hearing James talk about how they built the studio from scratch over the past ten years, from facing early challenges to landing huge clients like Amazon and growing their team to over 180 people really blew me away.
What really stuck with me was James sharing how important grit, authenticity, and resilience have been throughout their journey. Despite the rapid growth, Koto has stayed true to a people-first culture and never compromised on creativity or quality. A perfect podcast to put on while you're cooking dinner, cleaning or out for a run. (That's when I listen to podcasts anyway ha!) |
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If you got this far, here is your question of the week:
What’s your favorite part of the design process and why? Hit reply and let me know. |
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NDSM
Amsterdam, 1033NA, The Netherlands |
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