VISUAL LEAD, SEED STUDIO, GOOGLE, BROOKLYN NY
Gabriela Namie is a Brazilian-Japanese designer and art director based in Brooklyn, New York. She currently works as a Visual Lead at Google’s Seed Studio, and has previously worked as YouTube Music’s art director, a Senior designer at Sagmeister & Walsh, and co-founded Studio Barca in São Paulo.
She was nominated a Young Gun by the Art Directors Club in 2021, spoke at Forward Festivals Munich, San Francisco Design Week, Typographics, WIX Playground, etc. In 2023, she was nominated one of the 25 most popular designers by Creative Boom.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2025, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT YOUR DESIGN PRACTICE/BUSINESS? MORE GENERALLY, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT GRAPHIC DESIGN WILL CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS BRINGING VALUE TO THE TABLE IN COMMERCE AND CULTURE?
Many business challenges demand design solutions — whether related to accessibility, clear communication, simplifying user journeys, or engaging with people and culture. Designers are uniquely positioned to identify and address these problems. This idea has gained a lot more traction in comparison to when I began my career in the field, a time when we had to actively fight for a seat at the table. So because I see industry and product improvement everyday driven by design, I am optimistic.
DO YOU THINK GRAPHIC DESIGNERS HAVE A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THEIR TALENTS TO MAKE A SOCIAL IMPACT? WHY OR WHY NOT?
Not designers in particular, but everyone has a responsibility on making a positive social impact or minimizing harm under capitalism. As much as we can, we should advocate for fair labor practices and ethical decisions and processes. But ultimately, the most effective impact on these matters tends to come from systemic solutions that can only be made through government policies and law enforcement.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING A CAREER IN GRAPHIC DESIGN?
The pursuit of constant transgression is the pursuit of creative happiness. Know what you’re exchanging your creative work force for.
