Hafiya Moulana

Although Hafiya Moulana started in fashion design and marketing, she quickly realised that her real passion lay in branding. From trend forecasting to creative storytelling, there was something about connecting those dots for businesses that gave her immense creative gratification. So she jumped into brand design – only to hear “total crickets” during her job search. But instead of letting it get her down, Hafiya used it as fuel to start her own studio. Here, we find out how she charted her own path, why she has no qualms about putting herself out there and what Instagram has to do with it all.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
I craft brand identities with personality and brains. Basically, I help businesses show up as their best selves.

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Growing up around fashion made me obsessed with textures and details – and living in London is a goldmine as there’s a mix of classic and modern elements everywhere you look. Seeing other designers share their process online also always pushes me to try new things and keep levelling up.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
You don’t need a fancy degree to do what I do. I studied fashion design, which taught me about colour, composition and storytelling. But these things can be learnt outside of formal training – especially if you already have creativity, an eye for design and a lot of patience. The most essential traits are curiosity, problem solving and the ability to keep learning, because design trends and tools are always changing.

What’s been your favourite project to work on from the past year, and why?
I recently started freelancing and have been working with some amazing brands (can’t spill the names just yet!) – but my favourite passion project would have to be Late Press. It’s a café brand that I had so much fun creating from scratch, as I got to give it a bold personality and a mascot with serious cool guy vibes. Projects like that remind me why I love what I do: building a brand that feels alive and full of character.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
It’s a mix of designing, brainstorming and working on different projects. I usually start by checking messages and planning my day in Notion before diving into Illustrator or Photoshop to work on logos, packaging or brand visuals.

Some days are booked up with client calls or design work; other days see me scrolling on Pinterest for inspiration or hunting for new coffee recipes on TikTok. Whatever it is, I usually take lots of mini breaks and always have a coffee in hand.

If there was a starter pack for your job, what would be on it?

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out? Did you find your feet quickly?
I’m originally from Sri Lanka and started out studying fashion design and marketing at the Academy of Design there (which is affiliated with Northumbria University). I quickly realised I was more obsessed with the branding side of things – that is, trend forecasting, research, storytelling, moodboards, trend reports and more. Basically, I liked connecting the dots more than designing clothes. So I interned Studio Nice One as a graphic designer and stayed on as a studio assistant for a year and a half, where I learned a lot.

I then moved to Scotland to do a master’s at Heriot-Watt University – and my final project, Crowd Face, was all about my experience during the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka. That really made me see the power of storytelling through visuals. Now, I help businesses do the same, bringing their stories to life through design that actually connects.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs or clients?
My first job actually came through uni and I was really lucky to get it right after graduating. When I started freelancing, all my clients came through Instagram. I just posted my work there from the start because I had nothing to lose – I genuinely enjoyed designing and sharing what I was making. That’s how people started noticing me and the projects just slowly started coming in.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Biggest challenge? Right after my master’s, I thought jobs would just fall into my lap given that I had so much experience. Spoiler: they didn’t. Total crickets. But that’s what pushed me to chase my own dream and start my own studio. Honestly, looking back, I wouldn’t change it. It forced me to do things my way and make my own path.

How important are social media and self-promotion to your work? Any advice or learnings?
Social media is a total game changer for me. Instagram especially – pretty much all my freelance clients have found me there.

My tip? Just post, post, post. Share your process, the messy bits, the fun bits. And honestly, start even if you think you have nothing to show. Your first posts don’t need to be flawless.

Also, there’s this little life hack I saw in a reel: before you scroll through TikTok or Instagram, make and post something first – then you can scroll guilt free. Create before you consume!

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?
Listening to people tell stories – it’s helped me figure out how to translate experiences and emotions into visuals that actually connect.

My MacBook + Adobe Creative Cloud – can’t live without them! Everything from designing to managing projects happens here.

Notion (aka my brain’s best friend) – keeps me organised by tracking projects, deadlines, and ideas.

Have there been any courses, programmes, initiatives, access schemes or job boards you’ve found helpful?
To be honest, I applied for a million jobs before I started freelancing, so I can’t say any job boards really helped me. For me, it was design school that got me into the industry – it gave me the confidence to see that my work actually had value. My lecturers were such a big influence too: they pushed me to explore, experiment and trust my own voice as a creative.

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
My biggest learning has been that you can’t just wait for work to come to you – you have to put yourself out there and show what you can do. When I first started freelancing, I learnt the importance of being clear about what I charge and sticking to it, even if it feels scary at first. It also helps to have a mix of projects. Also, enjoying the work you do honestly makes everything else feel less like “work” and more like building your dream.

My advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
Learn to take constructive criticism. At first, it can feel a bit harsh, but it’s honestly one of the fastest ways to grow. Listening, reflecting and adjusting my work based on feedback has made me a stronger designer and helped me create work that really connects.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Don’t niche down yet! And stop comparing yourself with other designers (comparison kills joy; we’re all goated twins – this is my life motto!).