Ola Niepsuj moves between disciplines with ease—designer, illustrator, artist, storyteller. Labels are secondary. Her work speaks in textures, in color, in rhythm. A Polish-born creative force, she has lent her vision to countless globally recognized brands, yet her aesthetic is deeply personal, steeped in memory and meaning.
As a child, she was fascinated by wycinanka, the intricate cut-paper folk art of Poland, where symmetry and storytelling meet in a single sheet of paper. She remembers the bold, abstract forms of Polish children's books from the '80s, the striking compositions of the Polish School of Posters—both playful and profoundly graphic. These influences are still visible in her work, surfacing in surprising ways.
LUDISM: Your work blends so many influences—folk traditions, modernist design, bold graphics. How do you navigate these worlds?
Ola Niepsuj: It’s not a conscious effort, really. I grew up surrounded by these visuals, and they’ve become part of my creative language. I like contrasts—sharp and soft, structured and free-flowing. There’s something exciting about taking an old motif and giving it a new form, making it feel contemporary but still rooted in something familiar.
LUDISM: What role does research play in your creative process?
Ola Niepsuj: It’s essential. Before I start designing, I spend time looking through archives, books, everyday objects. I want to understand the history behind a symbol, a pattern, or a composition before I reinterpret it. Then comes sketching—sometimes on paper, sometimes directly in digital form. I like to move between mediums, let the process guide me.
LUDISM: Your designs have a distinct narrative quality. How do you approach storytelling through visuals?
Ola Niepsuj: I think of design as a language. Shapes, colors, and textures all carry meaning. Sometimes the storytelling is literal—like an illustration with a clear theme—but other times, it’s more about evoking a mood, a memory. I love when people find their own stories in my work.
LUDISM: How does this philosophy translate into your work at LUDISM?
Ola Niepsuj: LUDISM is about play—about rediscovering traditional aesthetics in a fresh, engaging way. I want the designs to be more than just beautiful objects; they should spark curiosity, invite interaction, make people look twice. It’s a dialogue between past and present, between function and art.
LUDISM: What excites you the most about what you do?
Ola Niepsuj: The freedom to explore, to experiment, to create something that resonates. I love that design has this ability to connect—across cultures, across time. And I love that my work can be part of that conversation.