Zoey Hu

From design to performance, movement is at the core of Zoey Hu’s relationship to creativity. After graduating with an MA in Visual Communication from the Royal College of Art, she secured a design internship at creative agency Ragged Edge, where she learnt that powerful narratives and critical thinking matter as much as strong visuals.

What I do

Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get into design and what kind of creative work excites you most?
I’m a London-based designer specialising in graphic and motion design. Since studying at the Royal College of Art, I've explored different creative disciplines from graphic design and illustration to performance. My love for movement has always been at the heart of my practice, shaping my sense of rhythm and timing. It naturally led me to discover my passion for motion design.

How did you find the internship, and what was the application process like?
I'd been following Ragged Edge's work for a while and have always loved their approach: ‘We're not interested in average’ – a mindset that guided me through every project I worked on during my internship. I first connected with the company while looking for opportunities in the creative industry. The timing didn't quite work out initially, but we stayed in touch and an opportunity to join the team eventually came up. 

What did a typical week look like? Which projects did you get to work on?
There was definitely no such thing as a typical week, but we'd usually kick things off with an agency-wide Monday morning meeting, where the whole studio gets together to share recent work, celebrate project milestones and welcome new team members. After that, we'd split into project teams and get stuck into the work. Things move quickly, so we'd usually catch up every day or two to share progress and make sure everything was on track.

During my six weeks, I had the opportunity to contribute to three very different projects, from exploring visual concepts and developing design directions to refining graphic details, experimenting with motion and building visual assets. Each project came with its own challenges, creative possibilities and ways of thinking.

What piece of work are you proudest of, and why? Talk us through your thinking and the part you played.
One of the projects I enjoyed most was working on an innovative AI platform for creatives. I was closely involved in the concept development process, exploring different visual territories around creativity, human connection and possibility and experimenting with typography, motion, art direction and vibe coding to bring different narratives to life.

It was also my first time taking part in Ragged Edge’s Creative Change Maker Workshop, a unique, creative approach that brings the client and the whole team together to explore the brand’s bigger picture.

What was it like working alongside the team? Was there anyone who particularly supported or inspired you?
One thing I particularly loved was the inspiration group chat, where everyone could share all sorts of unexpected, extraordinary or even slightly weird things they came across. I brought in a few books from my own collection to share, and it was lovely to discover people who were just as excited about the same things.

A special thanks to my buddy Jessica for making me feel welcome from day one and always checking in on me. I also really appreciated working with Jordan, who helped me understand that successful branding isn't just about creating compelling visuals, it's about building a strong story behind them. And a big thanks to Rob for walking me through the creative process of the Ragged Edge Website motion.

What surprised you most about your internship, or about working at a branding agency?
How seriously everyone took the work without taking themselves too seriously. There was always room for humour, curiosity and slightly ridiculous ideas, which often led to the most interesting conversations.

What skill did you develop most? That could be about ways of working, presenting or yourself.
The biggest development was in my conceptual thinking and my ability to communicate ideas. As someone with a strong visual and motion background, my instinct is often to jump straight into making things; this experience encouraged me to spend more time asking why before thinking about how. I learned to think more critically about what an idea is trying to say, why it matters and how it connects to the bigger brand story.

I also became more comfortable sharing ideas while they were still rough and unfinished. Sometimes the most valuable feedback comes from putting an imperfect thought into the room and allowing other people to build on it.

How has your time here changed the way you see yourself as a designer?
It's helped me realise that I don't have to define myself by one medium or discipline. Instead, having a unique perspective and the ability to make thoughtful, precise creative decisions is what really matters. Especially in an era where AI is evolving so rapidly and making execution increasingly accessible, I believe the real value of a designer lies in their ability to think critically, develop original ideas and give them an ‘unaverage’ expression.

My advice

How would you describe the culture at Ragged Edge to someone thinking of applying, and what advice would you give the next intern?
Bold, curious, collaborative and full of genuinely lovely people.

My advice to the next intern would be:
Be curious, ask questions and don't be afraid to put your ideas out there. You don't need to have the perfect answer every time. Share your thinking, embrace feedback and make the most of the opportunity to learn from people across different disciplines.

Talk to people and get to know as many people in the studio as you can. Some of my favourite moments came from spontaneous conversations.

What's next for you? Where would you like to take your career from here?
I'd love to continue exploring the space between brand identity, motion and storytelling. My time at Ragged Edge has made me even more excited about the possibilities of branding – how a strong idea can grow into an entire visual world and experience. Ultimately, I want to become a designer who doesn't just make things look good, but who creates work that challenges perspectives, sparks curiosity and makes people feel something.