Brand Identity & Visual Design
Logos, visual systems and creative direction designed to give brands a recognisable world of their own.
ABOUT ZAINAB
Strategy first. Magic second. Curiosity always.
Hello there, I’m Zainab — a graphic designer and social media creative with a slightly inconvenient habit of asking why? before deciding what should this look like?I combine strategy, visual storytelling and content thinking to create work that doesn’t just look good, but has a reason behind every decision.Whether I’m building a visual identity, shaping a social media presence or turning a half-formed idea into something tangible, my favourite part of the process is finding the thread that connects everything.And then making it a little magical.
WHAT I SPECIALISE IN
Where strategy meets visual storytelling.
My work sits across graphic design, branding and social media, with a particular interest in helping ideas become clearer, more distinctive and easier for the right audience to connect with.
Social Media Strategy & Management
Content planning, optimisation, copywriting and creative execution built around audience behaviour and business goals.
Content Design & Campaign Creative
Social graphics, promotional content and visual storytelling that keep strategy and aesthetics working together.
Creative Direction & Brand Clarity
Helping turn scattered ideas, references and ambitions into a clearer creative direction before the design begins.
HOW I THINK
Curiosity becomes direction.
People tell me I’m far too curious for my own good.Luckily, however, I’m not a cat.I’m an Overthinker Pro Max™, which turns out to be surprisingly useful in creative work.I like understanding the why behind a project before jumping into the what. Who are we speaking to? What do we want them to feel, understand or do? What already exists in this space? And where is the opportunity to make something feel more distinctive?That curiosity becomes research.Research becomes clarity.Clarity becomes direction.And direction gives the creativity somewhere meaningful to go.
WHAT I BRING
Three things sit at the centre of how I work.
Clarity
A strong idea, useful structure and creative decisions that can actually be explained.I don’t believe strategy should live in one document while the design lives somewhere completely different. The two should constantly inform one another.
Imagination
Distinctive visual thinking with space for personality, experimentation and the occasional unexpected idea.Good design should communicate clearly — but that doesn’t mean it has to feel predictable.
Connection
Strategy, content and design shaped as one coherent experience.From the first impression of a brand to the caption someone reads underneath a post, I think about how each touchpoint connects to the next.
EXPERIENCE
A little credibility amongst all the cosmic metaphors.
✦ 5+ years of graphic design experience across agency and hospitality environments✦ 2+ years of social media management experience, alongside additional experience supporting organisations through voluntary work✦ Experience across branding, content creation, social media strategy, copywriting and visual communicationMy portfolio includes work for businesses across hospitality, fashion, beauty and lifestyle, giving me experience adapting creative thinking to very different audiences and objectives.
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK WITH ME
Collaborative, considered and slightly obsessive about the details.
You don’t need to arrive with everything figured out.Some clients know exactly what they need. Others know something isn’t quite working but aren’t sure how to articulate the problem yet.Both are completely fine.I like working collaboratively — asking questions, exploring possibilities and giving ideas enough structure that decisions feel intentional rather than arbitrary.You’ll always understand what I’m recommending, why I’m recommending it and how it connects back to the goal.
TWO WAYS WE CAN START
You bring the vision. We’ll find the direction.
You already know what you need.
✦ The ‘I Know What I Require’ GatewayPerfect.Send me your idea, project scope and ideal timeline through the enquiry form and tell me what you’d like to create.From there, we can figure out the right next step.
Start an enquiryYou have the vision, but need clarity.
✦ The ‘I Have the Vision, But I Need Clarity’ GatewayYou’re in the right place.Sometimes the hardest part of a creative project happens before anything is designed.I’ve created resources to help you think through your problem, audience, goals, brand direction and creative priorities before deciding what comes next.
Explore the free resourcesSKILLS + TOOLKIT
The practical stuff.
Creative
Brand Identity • Graphic Design • Art Direction • Visual Storytelling • Content Design • Campaign Creative
Strategy
Social Media Strategy • Content Planning • Audience Research • Competitor Research • Brand Positioning • Content Optimisation
Content
Copywriting • Social Media Management • Short-Form Content • Content Ideation • Community-Focused Content
CURRENTLY
What I’m looking for next.
I’m currently interested in opportunities where I can work across design, social media and creative strategy — particularly projects where visual thinking is treated as more than decoration.I’m open to freelance projects, creative collaborations and professional opportunities where curiosity, experimentation and strategic thinking are valued.If you think my brain would be useful in your universe, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.
Let’s work togetherA FEW THINGS OUTSIDE THE PORTFOLIO
Because nobody is made entirely of case studies.
✦ Chai, coffee and makeup occupy an unreasonable amount of space in my brain — in no particular order.✦ I have a tendency to analyse things approximately seventeen layers deeper than necessary.✦ I’m probably saving something to a moodboard as you read this.✦ And I’ve spent 12+ years living with Solar Urticaria, a rare allergy triggered by exposure to sunlight — which feels particularly ironic for someone whose portfolio contains this many stars.
Read about Solar UrticariaSHALL WE CREATE SOMETHING?
If you’ve made it this far, we should probably talk.
Whether you already have a detailed brief or you’re still trying to turn a collection of ideas into a clear direction, tell me what you’re working on.I’ll bring the curiosity.You bring the idea.We’ll figure out the universe in between.
Start a project