Designers in Singapore: These are the best graphic design and branding studios you need to know

Work Pte Ltd

Founded by Theseus Chan, who is known as "The Godfather" of graphic design in Singapore, Work is a creative firm that is well known in the industry for their unorthodox publications and neck-breaking graphic designs. The firm has made their name by collaborating with renowned names in the fashion and design industry like Comme des Garçons, Costume National and the famed RYSE Hotel in Korea. With such big names in their arsenal, Work is not a graphic design studio to mess with.

Practice Theory

Identifying and covering many aspects of design, Practice Theory designs and builds campaigns for clients who care about the power and value of design. Being versed in a wide variety of services such as, spatial design, signage and way finding, Practice Theory has worked with a fair share of clients that include Andaz Singapore, DECK, The Arts House and Uniqlo.

Fable

Jiahui Tan heading the studio that believe in precision, consistency, as well as timelessness over trends. Fable is recognised and established at design competitions around the world such as the British Design & Art Direction Award and the Tokyo Type Directors club. The studio has done creative work for renowned brands and well-respected people such as Deloitte, Park Associates Architects and a project for Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Hjgher

Behavioural science with a focus on Design psychology and the science of design. The study of how form and function can change the overall image of a brand. Hjgher, with their expertise in branding brands from the start to the end, the studio has a number of awards such as the Design & Art Direction Awards UK (2010) and Asia Interactive Awards (2008) under their belt. Started in 2006 by Justin Long and Jerry Goh, the consultancy has done the branding and creative works for well known eateries such as, Birds of Paradise, Kith's cafe outlets as well publication branding for local artists like singer-songwriter Charlie Lim.

Swell

Having their strength in art direction, Swell believes that design is a channel and platform for expression, where the studio uses their expertise in branding and designing as tools to achieve their client's goals. The studio has had their awards locally and internationally recognised by, The Singapore Creative Circle Awards, Type Directors Club New York and Cannes Lions Festival.

Foreign Policy Design Group

Co-founded by strategist Arthur Chin and design guru Yu Yah-Leng (who are a married couple in real-life), Foreign Policy is the award-winning branding brainchild behind many of Singapore's well-loved cultural and F&B hotspots including Park Bench Deli, Gallery & Co. at National Gallery Singapore and Papa Palheta. Alongside their graphic-focussed endeavours, the studio publishes Critical Mass, a pocket-sized exploration of a "brand's ripple effect on consumers across the globe". Its latest issue takes on the enigmatic fashion designer Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons.

Currency Design

Led by Melvin Tan, Currency has designed the visual identities for some of Singapore's most promising arts events such as the independently organised Singapore Art Book Fair, Oh! Open House's neighbourhood interventions, and exhibitions at multi-concept restaurant SPRMRKT. "Our work spans both institutional and independent engagements within arts and cultural contexts, with a keen focus on the visual presentation of thematic and artistic projects across spatial, print and digital formats," said Melvin.

Do Not Design

Established in 2009 by Yan Da, the creative consultancy has traversed the realms of print, web and space. Its imaginative campaigns and experiences have propelled local cultural activities to the forefront of public consciousness. Some of its notable works include the visual material for Singapore Pavillion at the Venice Biennale in 2016, Archifest 2017 and most recently, The Future of Our Pasts Festival in conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial celebrations.

Studio Darius Ou

Singaporean graphic designer Darius Ou's four-member studio might be the youngest on the list, but his portfolio of beautifully chaotic print and digital animation has already made its mark in festivals, publications and exhibitions in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy and Switzerland. Last year, his self-initiated project Autobiography — which involved creating a typographic poster every day for 365 days — was plastered all over the walls of the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore to rapturous effect.

Kinetic Singapore

Besides designing exceptional products and campaigns for bigwig clients such as Nike and Facebook, this hyperactive creative studio has self-initiated a number of projects: now-defunct K+ Curatorial Space at Scotts Square that retailed and showcased the finest local design talents and quirky multi-cultural publication Rubbish Famzine. Add to that, the studio's founder Pann Lim runs an art collective called Holycrap with his wife and kids.