Applying for roles in branding or considering it? Our next portfolio review is for you!

From brand designers all the way to art directors, our reviewers have a wide scope of knowledge about the industry. They’ll look over your portfolios, offer expert feedback and help you in your journey into the world of branding.

Whether you’re a student, have just graduated or are in the first year of your career, this is a chance to get some invaluable advice from industry professionals and connect with fellow emerging creatives.

The session will take place over Zoom on Thursday 23rd March, from 5pm to 8pm GMT. There are only a limited number of places available, so make sure you sign up to register your interest.

The event itself is fast-paced: in breakout rooms of three emerging creatives and one reviewer, you will get the opportunity to show and discuss work, and get advice and feedback. This will then rotate, so you get to meet several reviewers throughout the evening.

Please also note that the session is open to those looking to work in branding, with no more than one year of experience. You will be required to have something to show (e.g. one to two projects or pieces of work that capture what you do) – but don’t worry if this isn’t a polished portfolio.

Laura Spence (she/her), designer, Sunhouse Creative
Winner of 2020’s D&AD New Blood Awards, Laura studied graphic design at Nottingham Trent University, graduating the same year. She completed internships with Kiss Branding, Nude Brand Creation and Sunhouse Creative before landing a full-time position with Sunhouse as a designer.

Read more about Sunhouse Creative here.

Jasmine Welsh (she/her), brand designer, DixonBaxi
Hailing from the North, Jasmine studied graphic design at Sheffield Institute of Arts. She began her career in the editorial space, but has moved towards branding, approaching it from a fine art perspective, and has worked across many industries – from music and entertainment to property, fashion and sports.

Read more about DixonBaxi here.

Maria Hamer (she/her), senior designer, DNCO
During and after her studies at London College of Communication, where she studied graphic and media design, Maria took on work experience at Monocle, Pentagram and Laurence King Publishing. She then specialised in editorial design and print, and after nearly five years at Monocle, she moved to DNCO and into the world of branding.

Wai-hon Chan (he/him), graphic designer, DNCO
Also an LCC alumni, Wai-hon has worked in Europe and Asia, across studios such as LAAB architects and Fabrica Research Centre, as well as the Architectural Association School of Architecture. The projects he has worked on span visual identity, spatial design and print.

Read more about DNCO here.

Stephanie McArdle (she/her), head of design, Droga5
Stephanie is a graphic designer with a lifelong passion for visual problem-solving. Having worked at worked at Droga5 since 2017, she combines striking art direction and design with the storytelling expertise gained from time spent in advertising to create brand worlds that people care about.

See more from Droga5 here.

Hannah Claydon (she/her), art director, Hato
Hannah works across the Hato studio and store teams developing creative concepts and overseeing them through to completion. She specialises in art direction for photography, and also works frequently on brand strategy for clients such as Delli, Selfridges, and Carhartt WIP.

Fibi Kung (she/her), art director, Hato
Fibi has worked across projects at Hato Hong Kong and London. She provides art direction for cultural exhibitions, brand identities and digital interactive projects, and has worked with clients such as Barbican, Tai Kwun and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

See more from Hato here.

Claire Parsons Brown (she/her), ​​design director, Prophet
Moving from Falmouth to London after uni, Claire has worked in graphic design for a decade, and has extensive experience working with clients within the arts, education, charity, property and finance. After a stint as a freelancer, she settled down at Prophet, a brand and strategy consultancy, where she now serves as design director.

See more from Prophet here.

Reuben Jerome D’silva (he/him), senior interaction designer, IDEO
A senior member of IDEO’s branding team, Reuben graduated from the National Institute of Design with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and also studied at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. He’s served as a member of the communication design faculty as well as on student juries at his alma mater.

Maria Fröhlich (she/her), design lead, IDEO
With a background in industrial design and visual communication, Maria joined the Munich studio as a design researcher. Eager to stay close to her passion for the physical world and how it impacts people’s behaviour, she moves between disciplines and explores different industries, all with a human-centric perspective.

See more from IDEO here.

Dan Sweeney (he/him), creative director, Stocks Taylor Benson
Dan entered the creative industry specialising in design and print, and since then has worked for well-known brands like HSBC, Royal Mail and British Airways. As creative director at the London branch of Stocks Taylor Benson, he supports and mentors the creative team and spends most of his days designing for clients.

See more from Stocks Taylor Benson here.

Yaf Bisrat (he/him), senior designer, Jones Knowles Ritchie
Yaf is an ideas-driven designer with a keen focus on underpinning everything he does with logic and meaning. He has designed, evolved and developed a range of brands, from global heavyweights Virgin and the Olympic Games, to cultural icons like the V&A and the English National Opera.

See more from Jones Knowles Ritchie here.

Stephen Turner (he/him), senior designer, Proper
A multidisciplinary designer, Stephen graduated with an industrial design degree from Brunel University. With nine years of experience in the industry, he has a background in both in-house and freelance work, and has migrated from product and design for manufacturing to graphic design and art direction.

See more from Proper here.

This session is open to students, grads, or those within the first year of a creative career. You are only eligible to register if you are:

• Not in full-time creative work
• Within the first year of your career
• Based in the UK
• Aged 18 and over

Please note that you will be required to submit an example of your work in your application. Register your interest by 23:59 on 13th March via the link below.

Registering for this event does not guarantee a place. Those invited to attend will be emailed a week before the event, and will be asked to pay a £5 deposit. This is to confirm your attendance, and will be refunded after the session.

Attendees are selected based on their eligibility, so please be assured that if you are not invited, this is not a reflection of the quality of your work.

We hope to see you there!