The Odd Hat Creative

Every designer has a hat. Some wear it like armor, others like a crown. Me? I’ve always worn mine a little sideways.

The Odd Hat isn’t just a name — it’s a way of looking at the world. It’s about embracing the slightly skewed angle, the unexpected spark, the solution that doesn’t quite fit the template (and thank goodness for that).

After nearly three decades in this business — from the smell of fresh ink in publishing houses to the glow of screens in digital agencies — one thing I’ve learned is this: creativity doesn’t live in the middle of the road. It’s found in the detours, the margins, and the quiet corners where everyone else forgot to look.

I’ve been called many things in my career: designer, art director, consultant, “the guy who can fix this before the deadline.” But at the heart of it, I’m a storyteller. I believe design is less about decoration and more about connection. A logo, a campaign, a book cover — these aren’t just visuals. They’re bridges between people, ideas, and emotions.

The Odd Hat philosophy is simple:

• Wear many hats. A good designer adapts. One day it’s brand strategist, the next it’s layout surgeon, sometimes even part-time therapist.
• Stay odd. The safest idea is rarely the one anyone remembers. Lean into the unusual. Quirks have power.
• Design for humans. Behind every “target audience” is someone scrolling on the train, someone flipping a page at midnight, someone deciding if they’ll click or walk away. Don’t design for metrics alone — design for moments.
• Respect the craft. Tools change. From wax pencils to Canva templates to AI prompts — the medium evolves, but the craft stays: clarity, storytelling, and a sharp eye for detail.
• Never stop playing. Whether it’s a model kit on the workbench, a blog about zombies and mixtapes, or a watercolor sketch — play fuels the serious work.

The Odd Hat isn’t the biggest studio. It’s not the loudest voice in the room. But it is a place where creativity is given space to breathe, to misbehave a little, and to remind us that design, at its core, is human.

So here’s the manifesto:
I’ll keep wearing my odd hat proudly.
I’ll keep chasing ideas that make people pause.
I’ll keep telling stories through pixels, paper, and everything in between.

And if you’re looking for work that doesn’t just tick the boxes but tilts the brim just right — well, pull up a chair. Let’s see what hats we can try on together.