Raissa Pardini is a London-based designer and creative director known for her bold and distinctive typography and lettering. Working with some of the world's most influential music acts and iconic brands, her unique artistry rests at the intersection of ambiguity, surprise and a healthy dose of chaos.
Throughout her career, Raissa has worked with influential clients such as Nike, Gucci, The Rolling Stones and Apple, with fourteen of her music posters held in the permanent collection at The V&A Museum. As part of our 5 Questions series, I caught up with Raissa to discuss finding soul in creativity, the value of slowing down and the trap of creative safety.
What gives art soul?
Honestly, a commission… and then a bit of rebellion. Designers are not automatically artists. We become artists when we push beyond the client’s comfort zone and they trust us enough to let it happen. That takes time. At the start it is a lot of convincing, a lot of “trust me on this” moments. But once you find your style, the one people recognise you for, everything shifts. That is when the soul comes in, because the client finally lets you do your thing.
What design trend should make a comeback?
Effort. Curiosity. Slowing down. I would love to see more work that actually takes its time. Work inspired by everyday life, backed by research, shaped by stories. Right now a lot of design feels rushed. It looks good, but where is the depth? Where is the story behind it?
I spoke at great length in my TED Talk last October about AI and the power creatives have that AI doesn’t. At a time when being replaced can feel very easy, unlearning, slowing down, thinking and creating with time is more important than ever. It’s how we make sure we aren’t replaced by anything or anyone.
What’s the ugliest object or design trend you secretly love?
,Some Alessi pieces are so ugly they become cool again. There is this bunny looking object I keep thinking about. I want to love it, but I am not brave enough to buy it. I cannot commit to ugly. I can't even plate food in an ugly way. It is a bit of a curse actually haha.
What is the biggest issue facing the industry right now?
We play it safe. Way too safe. There is not enough trust from clients, not enough budget, and no space for risk. That combination kills creativity. Safe work gets approved, but it is rarely memorable. We all end up playing this game and it is exhausting. I get it, we all need to make a living, but I have worked really hard to push against that.
What would be the name of your autobiography?
“My Type of Revolution”. My Type of Revolution was my latest exhibition. I’m not able to separate my personal opinions on the world from my work. It’s not always easy to do things your way, so I created an exhibition of posters with social and cultural meaning. The pieces were made mainly through the use of type, hence the play on words with my “type” and “revolution”. This title gives away a lot of my personality, both as a creative and as a human being.
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