When Paul Stafford and Ben Wright launched DesignStudio ten years ago, their ambition was to disrupt the traditional agency model. At a time when many creative firms followed rigid structures and conventional approaches, these two founders envisioned an agency driven by originality and flexibility. Their idea was simple yet profound: break away from the expected and embrace the freedom to create without boundaries. This foundational vision became the guiding light for DesignStudio’s journey, allowing it to carve a distinctive place in the design world.
The agency’s inception was fueled by Paul and Ben’s complementary expertise and shared passion for innovation. Paul’s background in strategic branding and communication complemented Ben’s keen eye for visual storytelling and design execution. Together, they combined analytical thinking with creative intuition, setting the stage for a partnership that could push the limits of what design agencies typically offer.
Early Challenges and Defining Moments
Starting a new agency in a competitive landscape was no easy feat. The initial years required intense focus and resilience as Paul and Ben built their client base and honed their approach. Rather than chasing volume or quick wins, they concentrated on crafting meaningful work that reflected their values. This meant carefully selecting projects and clients that aligned with their ethos of experimentation and rule-breaking.
One of the early challenges was convincing clients to trust a young agency willing to take creative risks. Many organizations were accustomed to safer, formulaic strategies. Paul and Ben’s ability to articulate the value of originality and collaborative processes gradually earned respect and opportunities. By demonstrating that bold design decisions could deliver tangible business results, DesignStudio began to attract forward-thinking clients eager to break from tradition.
During this period, the agency developed a distinctive process that involved clients deeply in the creative journey. Unlike agencies that kept the client at arm’s length, DesignStudio believed collaboration was essential to unlocking ideas that truly resonated. Workshops, immersive sessions, and iterative feedback became standard practice, allowing the agency to create work that was both innovative and authentic.
Building a Culture That Encourages Rule-Breaking
Central to DesignStudio’s identity was the deliberate cultivation of a culture that encouraged questioning norms. Paul and Ben understood that an agency’s success depends not only on talent but also on environment. They fostered a workplace where curiosity was nurtured, experimentation was encouraged, and failure was viewed as an opportunity to learn. This approach attracted a diverse group of creatives who shared the founders’ enthusiasm for pushing boundaries.
The agency’s culture emphasized openness and trust, enabling team members to contribute ideas freely without fear of judgment. This dynamic led to a collaborative spirit where multidisciplinary perspectives could collide and spark innovative solutions. It also helped break down traditional hierarchies common in design firms, replacing them with flatter, more agile structures focused on shared ownership of projects.
In addition to internal collaboration, DesignStudio prioritized transparency and honesty in client relationships. The founders believed that candid dialogue created stronger partnerships and better outcomes. This ethos extended to being upfront about challenges, encouraging clients to embrace the unknown, and jointly navigating risks. Over time, this built loyalty and positioned DesignStudio as a trusted creative ally rather than just a service provider.
Early Projects That Set the Tone
Several early projects exemplified the agency’s ethos and helped establish its reputation. These initiatives spanned diverse industries, from technology startups to cultural organizations, demonstrating the versatility of the DesignStudio approach. What united these projects was a commitment to storytelling, strategic clarity, and visual impact that deviated from the status quo.
For instance, one technology client challenged DesignStudio to craft a brand identity that would stand out in a saturated market. Instead of relying on familiar tech tropes, the agency developed a concept grounded in human connection and emotional resonance. Through layered typography, unexpected color palettes, and immersive digital experiences, the identity felt fresh and memorable, signaling the agency’s knack for combining strategy with daring design.
Another cultural institution sought to reimagine its visual language to appeal to younger, more diverse audiences. DesignStudio responded by creating flexible identity systems that could adapt across formats and contexts, balancing heritage with modernity. This project showcased the agency’s ability to navigate complex brand challenges with nuanced solutions that respected tradition while embracing change.
Making Your Own Rules: A Strategic Philosophy
“Making your own rules” is more than a tagline for DesignStudio; it is a philosophy deeply embedded in every project and decision. Paul and Ben championed this mindset as a way to foster originality and avoid complacency. They recognized that the design industry, like many creative fields, can become formulaic if practitioners simply replicate successful formulas. DesignStudio’s antidote was to question every assumption and explore unconventional pathways.
This philosophy also meant rejecting rigid processes in favor of adaptable methods tailored to each client and project. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, the agency emphasized context, audience insight, and collaborative discovery. This agility allowed DesignStudio to remain relevant amid shifting market demands and evolving design technologies.
Importantly, making your own rules extended beyond the creative process into how the agency structured itself and approached growth. Paul and Ben resisted the temptation to scale rapidly without maintaining cultural integrity. Instead, they prioritized sustainable expansion and preserving the spirit of experimentation that defined their early years.
Reflection on a Decade of Growth
Looking back over the first ten years, Paul Stafford and Ben Wright see their journey as one marked by courage, learning, and continuous reinvention. The challenges they faced—from skepticism to market fluctuations—only strengthened their resolve to innovate and stay true to their core values. Each milestone, whether a major client win or a bold creative breakthrough, reinforced the power of making your own rules.
As DesignStudio matured, the founders witnessed how their early decisions shaped a resilient agency capable of thriving in a fast-changing world. The balance of strategic rigor and creative freedom became a signature, attracting both clients seeking fresh perspectives and talent eager to push boundaries.
The lessons from the first decade continue to influence the agency’s direction today. Paul and Ben emphasize that rule-breaking is not about reckless risk but thoughtful disruption—knowing when to challenge norms and when to honor tradition. This nuanced approach has allowed DesignStudio to build lasting relationships and deliver impactful work that stands out in a crowded landscape.
Foundations for the Future
The origin and early philosophy of DesignStudio reveal the importance of vision and culture in building a successful creative agency. Paul Stafford and Ben Wright’s commitment to making their own rules fostered an environment where innovation could flourish and clients could experience design in new ways. Their story is a reminder that meaningful growth comes from embracing risk, valuing collaboration, and staying authentic to one’s principles.
As DesignStudio moves into its next decade, these foundations provide a strong platform for continued experimentation and influence. The agency’s journey demonstrates that in design, as in business, the courage to create your path is often the key to lasting success.
The Growth Years: Evolving the DesignStudio Approach
After establishing a solid foundation and unique identity, DesignStudio entered a critical phase of growth that would test its adaptability and sharpen its creative methodology. During these years, Paul Stafford and Ben Wright faced the challenge of expanding their agency’s reach while holding onto the rule-breaking spirit that had defined their early work. This next chapter was not simply about scaling up; it was about evolving without compromise.
The early momentum, built on a handful of bold projects and a growing reputation for collaborative design, began to attract more diverse clients. These included global brands, emerging tech startups, and cultural institutions looking to redefine their visual and strategic identities. As the scale of work increased, so did the expectations, and DesignStudio had to ensure that its approach remained agile, immersive, and disruptive.
The founders resisted the industry norm of rigid process pipelines. Instead, they refined their methodology, emphasizing flexibility and exploration. The creative process became a journey rather than a checklist. Strategy and design coexisted in real time, and each project was approached not as a task to complete, but as a problem to investigate and reimagine.
Building Global Recognition and Opening New Studios
As the agency's reputation grew beyond the UK, Paul and Ben saw an opportunity to take their vision global. The decision to open studios in key cities like San Francisco and Sydney was not just about geography—it was about understanding different markets, immersing in new cultures, and bringing local voices into the DesignStudio ecosystem.
These international expansions were driven by more than business growth. They reflected the agency's belief that creativity flourishes when informed by a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. By embedding themselves in new regions, the team could absorb different design sensibilities, cultural cues, and communication styles, enriching their work in ways that a single-location agency couldn’t replicate.
However, growing internationally presents challenges. Maintaining a consistent culture across time zones and teams was complex. Paul and Ben responded by putting culture at the center of every new studio. Rather than impose a top-down identity, they allowed each location to evolve its version of the DesignStudio ethos—rule-breaking, inclusive, and fearless. Regular cross-studio collaborations ensured that ideas traveled freely and inspiration flowed across borders.
Notable Projects That Cemented the Agency's Influence
Several major projects during these years exemplified DesignStudio’s ability to scale creatively without losing its edge. A standout example was the rebranding of a major airline. The challenge was not simply to refresh a visual identity, but to reinvigorate an entire brand experience—from the logo to in-flight touchpoints to digital interfaces. The project involved deep research, immersive workshops, and multiple iterations, all guided by a clear strategic insight: the brand needed to be less corporate and more human.
The result was a bold, flexible identity system that broke with airline design conventions. Vibrant colors, dynamic patterns, and warm, inclusive language helped transform perceptions and won acclaim across the industry. More importantly, the work reflected the passengers’ experience, elevating the brand from transportation provider to lifestyle ambassador.
Another influential project came in the tech space. A startup seeking to compete with major social platforms turned to DesignStudio for a brand strategy that could differentiate it in a crowded and often toxic space. Rather than imitate existing platforms, the agency helped articulate a purpose-driven narrative about authenticity and connection. The visual identity embraced imperfection and play, using hand-drawn elements, unexpected layout structures, and motion design that captured real-time emotion. It proved that in digital-first industries, breaking design norms could translate to user trust and brand loyalty.
Expanding the Creative Toolset
As the types of projects grew more complex, DesignStudio expanded its creative toolkit. This included investing in new technologies and integrating disciplines that blurred the boundaries between design, architecture, motion, and sound. The agency began to work more closely with specialists in data visualization, user experience, immersive installations, and spatial design.
Rather than outsource these capabilities, Paul and Ben saw value in building internal teams that could explore new media firsthand. Designers were encouraged to experiment with 3D environments, interactive storytelling, and physical prototyping. This willingness to explore beyond traditional graphic design allowed the agency to create more holistic brand experiences—ones that could live fluidly across physical and digital platforms.
This multidimensional approach also meant rethinking what it meant to “finish” a project. Rather than delivering a static set of assets, DesignStudio focused on creating brand systems that could evolve. This was especially relevant for startups and fast-scaling companies that needed flexibility to adapt while maintaining coherence. It also reflected a broader trend in branding, where agility and responsiveness matter as much as consistency.
Redefining Client Collaboration
DesignStudio continued to deepen its collaborative model, challenging the client-agency dynamic. Rather than act as a vendor, the team positioned itself as an extension of the client’s internal brand and product teams. This shift allowed for greater transparency, faster iteration, and stronger alignment around shared goals.
One innovation was the way project teams were structured. Instead of assigning roles based on seniority or department, DesignStudio organized teams around creative chemistry and problem fit. Strategists, writers, motion designers, and developers worked side by side from day one, ensuring that ideas weren’t passed through silos but co-developed in real time.
Clients were brought into the fold early and often. Workshops weren’t just presentations; they were working sessions where ideas were tested, challenged, and evolved. This open approach sometimes surprised clients who were used to a more hierarchical process, but the results spoke for themselves—more authentic insights, faster alignment, and stronger outcomes.
Maintaining Integrity in the Face of Growth
As the studio grew in size and stature, there was always a risk of losing the edge that made its work unique. Paul and Ben were acutely aware of this and made conscious choices to preserve the agency’s creative integrity. This included turning down projects that didn’t align with their values, resisting the pull toward over-commodification, and investing in internal development.
The founders believed that a great agency should be measured not just by its portfolio, but by its ability to say no. This philosophy protected the team from burnout and allowed space to pursue self-initiated work, passion projects, and internal research. These projects often fed back into client work, sparking new ideas and approaches.
An important part of maintaining culture was recognizing that growth isn’t just about size. For DesignStudio, growing meant becoming more self-aware, more diverse in perspective, and more ambitious in creative thinking. This mindset allowed the agency to navigate expansion without becoming bloated or bureaucratic.
The Seeds of a New Decade
By the end of its growth years, DesignStudio had firmly established itself as one of the most exciting and respected creative agencies in the world. Its work has helped redefine how brands are built, how stories are told, and how creativity can drive business. More importantly, it has proven that it’s possible to scale while staying true to core principles.
Paul Stafford and Ben Wright understood that the next decade would require new thinking. Design trends evolve, client needs shift, and cultural expectations change. But the agency’s rule-breaking ethos had never been about rebellion for its own sake. It had always been about relevance, adaptability, and finding new ways to tell meaningful stories.
As DesignStudio prepared to enter its second decade, it did so with a renewed commitment to exploration and originality. The seeds planted during this phase—global reach, expanded capabilities, and a maturing philosophy—would shape the agency’s next chapter.
The Power of Identity in a Changing World
As DesignStudio entered its third phase of growth, identity design remained at the heart of its philosophy. But identity, for Paul Stafford and Ben Wright, was never just about logos, color palettes, or visual styles. It was about meaning—what a brand stands for, how it moves through the world, and how people connect with it. In an era of constant cultural change and digital saturation, this foundational belief gave the agency a distinct advantage.
Clients were no longer seeking surface-level branding. They needed deep, flexible brand systems that could adapt to shifting markets, social movements, and emerging platforms. DesignStudio responded by crafting identities that were not just visually striking but also behaviorally smart. The team developed branding frameworks that could evolve with the company, from early startup stages to global expansion. This long-term thinking made their work more resilient and forward-facing.
For example, a health-tech client approached the agency to rebrand in a way that could resonate across multiple continents and healthcare systems. The solution wasn’t just to create a new logo—it was to reimagine how the company communicated trust, empathy, and innovation. DesignStudio developed a visual and verbal language that felt open and inclusive, with a system that adjusted seamlessly across web platforms, app interfaces, product packaging, and clinical environments.
This approach was emblematic of a larger shift in the branding industry, one that DesignStudio had anticipated early: brands were no longer static. They were living systems, constantly updated and reinterpreted. The ability to design for change rather than permanence became a signature trait of the agency’s work.
Human-Centered Storytelling and Brand Voice
Over time, storytelling emerged as an increasingly central component of DesignStudio’s process. While great visuals could catch attention, Paul and Ben understood that great stories were what made people care. Storytelling wasn’t confined to copywriting or marketing—it informed every decision, from motion design to interface interactions.
The agency invested deeply in brand voice development, treating it not as an afterthought but as a core creative discipline. Each brand was given a distinct tone, rhythm, and attitude, consistent across touchpoints. This gave clients the tools to speak with clarity and confidence in their unique voice, whether they were posting on social media or writing legal disclaimers.
One project for an ethical fashion brand showed how storytelling could transform perception. The client wanted to shift away from greenwashing clichés and toward an honest, engaging dialogue with customers. DesignStudio responded by crafting a brand voice rooted in transparency and irreverence—equal parts informative and cheeky. Combined with a striking identity built around negative space and modular layout systems, the storytelling redefined how sustainable brands could express themselves.
In another case, a public service organization aimed to reach underrepresented communities. Rather than rely on official or institutional language, the agency worked closely with local voices to develop messaging that felt genuine and culturally resonant. The resulting brand language became an evolving toolkit, adaptable to different audiences while preserving the organization’s mission and personality.
These storytelling efforts revealed a key insight: design, at its best, connects logic and emotion. When strategy and expression are aligned, brands can communicate with authenticity, build trust, and grow communities.
Bridging Digital and Physical Experience
DesignStudio continued to blur the lines between digital and physical experience, recognizing that brands no longer live in just one space. The agency's multidisciplinary teams tackled everything from UI systems and websites to packaging, signage, and live installations. The goal was to create continuity between a brand’s screen presence and its real-world encounters.
One retail project involved creating an entirely new brand environment, from architectural elements to the smallest in-store graphics. The physical space became a manifestation of the brand’s tone and values, offering customers a tactile extension of what they had previously seen online. At the same time, the in-store experience was designed to loop back into the brand’s digital ecosystem through interactive touchpoints, augmented reality, and embedded storytelling.
For a media company launching a streaming platform, DesignStudio reimagined not just the visual identity but the full user journey. Every interface, animation, and loading screen was crafted to evoke mood and emotion. Instead of a flat, transactional experience, users encountered a curated narrative that evolved as they explored the platform. The system was designed to be flexible, scalable, and constantly updated, bringing together motion design, editorial strategy, and dynamic content frameworks.
The success of these projects underscored an important trend: brand experience had become synonymous with user experience. The challenge for designers was no longer just to make things beautiful—it was to make them work seamlessly across form, function, and feeling.
Championing Inclusivity and Representation in Design
During this phase of growth, DesignStudio became more intentional about its role in shaping inclusive visual cultures. Paul and Ben, along with their leadership team, recognized the influence design has on representation and visibility. This meant taking a harder look at who they were designing for—and who was doing the designing.
The agency prioritized diversity in hiring, not as a token gesture but as a creative imperative. Different perspectives meant better ideas, more nuanced strategies, and deeper empathy in the work. Workshops, mentorship programs, and internal listening sessions were established to create a culture where all voices were heard and valued.
DesignStudio also collaborated with community-driven organizations, ensuring that branding work aligned with real-world social impact. For a project involving youth mental health, the team worked closely with teenagers, educators, and clinicians to co-create visuals and messaging. The outcome was not only more relatable—it was more effective, because it was informed by those it aimed to serve.
Inclusivity also influenced the agency’s aesthetic decisions. Accessibility became a standard design principle rather than a secondary consideration. Typography, color contrast, motion, and interaction were all approached with a broader range of users in mind. These practices didn’t limit creativity—they expanded it, opening new avenues for innovation and expression.
Sustainability and Ethical Design Choices
The question of ethical responsibility became increasingly central to DesignStudio’s process. As awareness grew around environmental and social issues, the agency made a conscious effort to align its design choices with long-term impact. This meant thinking beyond the client brief and considering the lifecycle of every creative decision.
For print and packaging projects, DesignStudio explored sustainable materials, modular designs, and recyclable formats. When working on brand guidelines, they included best practices for reducing digital carbon footprints. Even motion graphics were optimized for performance and energy efficiency.
The agency also began to turn down clients whose values conflicted with its own. Rather than chase every high-profile project, Paul and Ben reaffirmed their commitment to meaningful, mission-aligned work. This decision not only protected the integrity of the studio but also attracted clients and collaborators who shared their vision.
Internal discussions about ethics and sustainability were ongoing. Teams regularly reviewed how technology was being used, how data was handled, and how messages were being communicated. These conversations weren’t easy, but they were essential to maintaining the relevance and responsibility of the agency’s work.
Reinventing What a Design Agency Can Be
With every new challenge, DesignStudio continued to redefine what a modern creative agency could be. It wasn’t just a place that delivered identities—it was a partner in transformation. Brands came not just for design, but for guidance through complexity, change, and reinvention.
This shift prompted internal restructuring. Roles became more fluid, job titles were less rigid, and collaboration across disciplines was further encouraged. Strategy and design weren’t siloed; they were seen as part of a single, cohesive force. New roles emerged, such as behavioral designers and content architects, reflecting the expanding scope of what branding could encompass.
Paul and Ben also took steps to nurture leadership within the studio. As new voices rose in the company, they created room for those individuals to shape culture, lead projects, and carry forward the studio’s legacy. Leadership, they believed, wasn’t about control—it was about stewardship.
With its creative practices maturing and its ethical stance clearly defined, DesignStudio was poised for another evolution. Paul and Ben had proven that it was possible to break rules while still delivering measurable value to clients. But the question now was: what new rules needed to be written?
Emerging technologies, shifting consumer behavior, and growing calls for equity in design signaled that the next decade would be just as demanding—and just as full of opportunity. DesignStudio’s willingness to adapt, to listen, and to lead with integrity ensured that it would not just respond to these changes but help shape them.
Rethinking Leadership and Legacy
As DesignStudio approached its second decade, Paul Stafford and Ben Wright began reflecting more deeply on their evolving roles—not just as founders or creative leaders, but as stewards of a culture they had carefully built. For them, leadership was never about hierarchy or control. Instead, it meant creating the conditions for others to thrive, to lead in their ways, and to carry forward the principles of experimentation and openness that defined the studio from the start.
This shift in mindset led to more inclusive leadership models. Creative direction no longer rested solely with a small inner circle. Instead, project leads from across disciplines were empowered to set direction, take risks, and represent the studio’s vision to clients. These moves weren’t symbolic—they were structural. The agency created mechanisms for growth, learning, and contribution at every level of the team.
Mentorship also became a defining part of the agency’s leadership philosophy. DesignStudio encouraged knowledge sharing through internal talks, project postmortems, and collaborative critique sessions. Experienced designers were expected to coach rather than instruct, helping younger creatives navigate challenges and explore ideas with confidence. In turn, new voices brought energy, fresh references, and a sense of relevance that kept the work sharp and culturally attuned.
Designing for the Unknown
One of the key strengths that helped DesignStudio stand apart was its comfort with ambiguity. While many creative agencies relied on tried-and-true formulas, Paul and Ben had always embraced the unknown. This willingness to navigate complexity and contradiction became a competitive advantage, especially as branding itself transformed into a more fluid, cross-disciplinary practice.
More and more, the studio took on projects where the challenge wasn’t defined in advance. Clients came in search of clarity, unsure of what their brand even was or what it should become. In response, DesignStudio developed hybrid processes that mixed strategic consulting, behavioral insight, and speculative design. The outcome might be a traditional brand system, or it might be something completely unexpected: a new service layer, an experimental interface, a traveling pop-up, a campaign embedded within culture rather than advertising.
DesignStudio also explored the edges of emerging technology. The agency experimented with tools like AI-generated content, spatial computing, and generative design—not as novelties, but as creative instruments. For a global music platform, they prototyped an AI-curated interface where the visual identity evolved based on user mood. For a social initiative, they created an interactive space where visitors could shape the message in real time through gesture and sound.
These projects signaled a broader ambition: to not only reflect culture, but to help shape where it was heading.
Staying Small with Global Impact
Despite growing into a multi-office studio with international reach, DesignStudio remained committed to staying lean and focused. Paul and Ben had witnessed firsthand how unchecked expansion could dilute creative quality and erode culture. Their alternative was a distributed model of smaller, agile teams connected by shared values and supported by clear communication systems.
This model allowed for greater autonomy within each studio location. Local teams could respond quickly to regional trends, collaborate with local creatives, and offer clients insight grounded in their cultural context. At the same time, projects with global scope benefited from cross-office collaboration, drawing on the strengths of each location.
By staying small in structure but wide in reach, DesignStudio maintained a high level of attention to craft and detail. No project was phoned in. Each brief was treated as an opportunity to learn, challenge assumptions, and deliver meaningful, lasting impact. The agency’s size also allowed for agility in times of uncertainty, including during global events that disrupted traditional workflows.
This approach underscored a truth Paul and Ben held from the beginning: impact is not a function of size, but of clarity, courage, and consistency.
Reinventing the Client-Agency Relationship
Another notable evolution in DesignStudio’s practice was how it redefined the client relationship. Instead of viewing clients as customers, the agency approached them as co-creators. This attitude shift led to more integrated engagements, where clients were brought into the creative process from the earliest strategy sessions to the final execution.
DesignStudio challenged outdated models of service, proposing longer-term partnerships over one-off campaigns. This allowed for deeper immersion into a client’s business, audience, and ambitions. It also created room for honest conversations, mutual trust, and the flexibility to pivot when needed.
A memorable example involved a long-term collaboration with an education nonprofit. What began as a visual identity project evolved into a complete rethink of how the organization communicated with stakeholders. Over several years, DesignStudio helped the client shift from printed reports to interactive storytelling, from boardroom language to real-world dialogue. The agency’s role grew from design provider to strategic partner, influencing messaging, operations, and even internal culture.
This type of engagement reflected DesignStudio’s broader philosophy: the best branding doesn’t live in a deck. It’s lived, shaped, and reinforced in every touchpoint, every conversation, every decision.
Self-Initiated Work and Internal Experimentation
While client work formed the backbone of DesignStudio’s portfolio, the team also prioritized internal exploration. Self-initiated projects offered a way to stay curious, test new tools, and engage with topics outside commercial constraints. These initiatives ranged from visual essays and open-source design tools to public installations and brand provocations.
One of the studio’s most acclaimed internal efforts was a speculative branding exercise for a future-facing city. The team imagined what civic identity would look like in a post-digital society—one shaped by environmental limits, interspecies ethics, and decentralized governance. The output included a dynamic symbol system, evolving languages, and ambient information layers. The project didn’t have a client, but it sparked conversations across the industry and even influenced subsequent client briefs.
These experiments weren’t simply about trend-hopping. They were driven by deep questions: What should branding do in an age of information overload? How can identity reflect multiplicity rather than singularity? What role does design play in cultural memory, political expression, or ecological responsibility?
Through internal work, DesignStudio remained creatively energized and intellectually engaged. It also reminded the team of its core purpose—not just to respond to briefs, but to imagine new possibilities.
Culture as a Living System
At the center of everything Paul and Ben built was culture. For them, culture wasn’t a ping-pong table or a value poster. It was a living, breathing system of relationships, rituals, conversations, and shared moments. As DesignStudio grew, sustaining this culture became both a joy and a challenge.
They invested in it intentionally. Leadership circles met regularly to check in on the emotional climate. Studio-wide retrospectives invited honest feedback and collective reflection. Celebrations weren’t limited to project launches—they included experiments that failed, personal milestones, and moments of creative serendipity.
Remote and hybrid work introduced new dynamics. Rather than force people back to offices, the studio rethought what space meant. Physical studios became hubs of collaboration and connection rather than static workplaces. Rituals like “first draft Fridays” or cross-studio critiques were adapted to hybrid formats, ensuring that distance didn’t mean disconnection.
Culture wasn’t perfect—it never is—but it was nurtured. And as new people joined, they didn’t just fit into a mold. They reshaped the mold, expanding the identity of what DesignStudio could be.
Looking Beyond the Horizon
As the studio reached its 10-year milestone, Paul and Ben didn’t pause for nostalgia. Instead, they asked: What haven’t we done yet? Where should we be taking creative responsibility next? The world was changing faster than ever, and the design industry was grappling with new expectations—on sustainability, on inclusion, on transparency, and on digital ethics.
DesignStudio saw this not as a threat, but as a call to evolve again. Their work moving forward would be more holistic, more courageous, more entangled with the world’s most pressing questions. They would continue to push design beyond identity systems and into systems thinking. They would deepen their partnerships, continue building bridges between strategy and craft, and invite more collaborators into the fold.
The studio didn’t claim to have all the answers. But what they had—what they always had—was a willingness to ask better questions, to break the rules when the rules no longer served, and to keep searching for meaning in the mess of making.
Final Thoughts
Looking back on a decade of work, Paul Stafford and Ben Wright’s journey with DesignStudio reveals much more than the story of a successful creative agency. It charts the course of two designers who chose to reject traditional formulas and instead built a studio around ideas that continue to resonate: collaboration over ego, experimentation over routine, and meaning over decoration.
DesignStudio never set out to simply decorate brands—they set out to define them, question them, and rebuild them from the inside out. That focus on substance created a body of work that spans industries, media, and continents, but always feels personal, sharp, and human. Whether it was reimagining a global tech identity or working with a grassroots initiative, the studio brought the same energy: ask the right questions, find the human story, and design with intent.
Their model—small teams with big reach, collaborative process over prescriptive outputs—has since been emulated by others, but what continues to set DesignStudio apart is its refusal to settle. At every stage of growth, they’ve asked not just how to scale, but how to stay true. That willingness to say no, to challenge a brief, to take risks even when the stakes are high—that’s what’s defined the agency’s legacy.
And yet, legacy isn’t the point. For Paul and Ben, the journey is still unfolding. The next decade brings new technologies, new societal expectations, and new creative frontiers. DesignStudio doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but it’s more prepared than most to meet those changes with curiosity and courage. Because when your foundation is built on exploration, you’re never standing still—you’re always moving, questioning, and evolving.
Ultimately, the success of DesignStudio lies in its unwavering belief that design is not a service—it’s a dialogue. A dialogue between people, ideas, cultures, and futures. And in that ongoing conversation, Paul Stafford and Ben Wright have ensured their studio remains a voice worth listening to.