Interview: Creative director and design mentor, Debora Saveriano
As part of our commitment to elevate creative voices we are speaking to members to our community. We will be celebrating their work and sharing their story because we think it’s important to champion the people that make our sector so damn good! In this edition we are joined by creative director and design mentor, Debora Saveriano.
Debora Saveriano ©
Hey Debora, can you start by telling us a little about yourself?
I am Debora Saveriano, Creative Director at Heima Design Studio. I work with brands big and small, helping them form a visual language. Originally from Italy, I am currently enjoying life in London. When I am not designing or directing I am mentoring young designers, organising meet–ups with other creatives, strolling in the city or most probably at some art space.
Were you creative at an early–age and when did you know you wanted to become a designer?
Definitely. As a kid, I loved creating my own little worlds with my hands as opposed to playing with pre-fabricated things, like making dolls houses out of shoe boxes and creating tiny clothes from old discarded fabrics.
I would spend time making weird shaped pasta with my grandma or drawing in my grandad’s studio. Being an engineer he had all kinds of pencils, compasses, and rulers. Those times making things were pure joy for me, especially since I often felt trapped at school, where a truly creative environment was missing—but thankfully, I had it at home.
Growing up, I was captivated by fashion shows and music videos on TV. The style, textures, colours, and sounds felt magical. I was also drawn to offline inspiration, taking pictures of patterns I’d see on the streets or capturing natural textures with my first phone camera before eventually getting a real one.
I knew I wanted to spend my time creating, experimenting, and exploring, but it wasn’t until university that I really understood what I could do with it for a living.
Did you go to university or did you head straight into industry?
I studied Fashion Communication at IED in Rome. The courses covered graphic design, art history, photography, visual communication, art direction, and more. It was like discovering a treasure trove of everything I was passionate about and actually being able to play with those notions and experiment for my exams.
For a kid from a small city in the South of Italy, it was incredible to realise that these creative subjects could actually lead to a career. Back then, there was quite a stigma around creative jobs where I come from—was it even possible? Could you actually sustain yourself with design?
Design books were expensive, so I started working early, designing posters and digital pieces for clubs and emerging artists, and photographing events. Through that work, I met a lot of people and eventually launched a mini event series with two friends. It was a space for beat, R&B, and northern soul music, all played on vinyl, while I curated illustration and photography walls from different artists.
It was an amazing way to dive deeper into creativity IRL and make some money out of it—just enough to cover my books, but that’s all that mattered!
Debora Saveriano ©
What were your first positions as a designer?
I moved to London after a few months from my graduation to join a creative studio as an intern. My boss was my former Art Direction teacher in uni, and landed me the opportunity I’ll be forever grateful for. He’d put a lot of trust in me and the team, I learned by doing and failing and experimenting, surrounded by a vibrant, loud and inspiring London. That’s when I learned about visual identity and understood the logic’s of it for the first time.
I worked incredibly hard from day 1, trying to have my hands on different projects and phases that were new to me. I was encouraged to push my limits and to not feel like a failure when failing – this is something that stayed with me and I always try to transfer to younger creatives. When the internship ended I freelanced for the studio for a few years, while freelancing for other brands and agencies as a brand designer.
I loved the dynamism of it all, working with a variety of teams, on different projects and in various industries opened my mind and helped me build a network. Some are MatchesFashion, Net-a-Porter, Coty, Studio Black Tomato, HP, Diageo, Zegna.
You are the founder of Heima Design Studio, was having your own practice something you always wanted to do?
I can’t say that having my own practice was always the plan, but I was drawn to the dynamism of my freelance experience, collaborating with diverse teams and brands across fashion, music, hospitality, wellness. It fueled my curiosity, and I realised that staying in a single studio or in-house role wasn’t for me. After my first full-time position, I felt the pull to return to a way of working that made sense to me.
Now, with Heima, I try to create a space where 9-5 doesn’t mean being chained to a desk to execute. In those hours, we’re free to break for a longer lunch, attend events, travel, get lost in an exhibition space, and bring that inspiration back to our work. It also gives me the opportunity to be present for my family, friends and the creative community, which is a non-negotiable for me.
It’s inspiring to work closely with founders in this kind of environment, building something both meaningful and balanced— I think it brings out the best in everyone involved. Adding up to that, I grew up watching my dad traveling for work, running his own business. It gave me this idea of freedom, which again aligns very much to who I am.
As an agency what do you specialise in?
We are a creative house specialising in visual identity for progressive brands in fashion, music, and culture—brands that value a collaborative, artistic approach. We’re inspired by clashing influences, passionate about building nuanced, art-driven visual worlds that reflect each client’s unique story.
In addition to visual identity, we work in editorial and print, digital and web design, promotional campaigns, and community projects. Each year, we reserve a pro bono spot to support one brand or organisation that serves communities. This year, we partnered with Skylight Venture, which offers interest-free loans to refugee entrepreneurs, and in 2025, we’re aiming to collaborate with a nonprofit in music.
If this sounds like you, reach out!
Do you have long–term plans for the business (i.e dream clients, team growth)
Definitely, one of our goals is to establish a physical space. Not to fall into the routine of laptop working, but quite the opposite—a place to create offline, host events and special talks, run workshops, curate unspoken art from around the world, and promote cultural moments of exchange within the community. Team growth is on the horizon as well, but right now, it’s challenging to guarantee long-term stability.
For the moment, I’m embracing the flexibility of a small core team that collaborates with other creatives as needed. This approach lets us pull together a curated set of skills to meet each project’s unique needs and foster a rich, collaborative environment!
Debora Saveriano ©
We regularly find inspiration outside of design, is this something you do and where do you look for ideas?
I believe in fueling curiosity and creativity consistently, something I intentionally practise is the awareness of surroundings, noticing what’s going on around, observing and catching visual cues, sounds, smells. On the streets, in art spaces, concerts, in a bookstore, travelling. I always save things on camera or in my notes. That's my way to collect inspiration. When we look for ideas for a specific project, we don’t limit ourselves to the brand’s industry; instead, we pull from a whole mix of different sources.
I’m also a bit of a digital junkie; I love diving deep online to browse and research. But honestly, it’s the offline world—immersing myself in art, culture, soundscapes—that really feeds me.
When a new project comes in, first ideas usually hit me while reading the brief or talking with the client. I keep a stack of white paper on hand to quickly sketch or jot things down. And when I bring these ideas to the team, that’s when things really start to click. Ideas flow—sure, plenty of bad ones too—but eventually, we land on paths worth exploring. We’re lucky to work with clients who bring visionary ideas, so often, they’re a source of inspiration themselves.
In your opinion, what’s the biggest challenge our industry faces?
Good question!
I think the biggest challenge in our industry is the spread of disposable content, which has turned creativity into more of a quick asset to share online. Designs are too often created for short-lived engagement, rather than for something meaningful or lasting.
It’s a shift that doesn’t only reduce the depth of our work, but it also creates a culture where speed and volume get prioritised over quality and intention. It’s not uncommon for creatives coming to Heima to feel pressured to generate ideas and designs fast. That pressure shouldn’t become the norm.
To counter this, I believe we need to protect creativity as a cultural force, promoting sustainable practices that focus on curation and collaboration. The design process should shift from being an endless cycle of output to one of thoughtful creation. As I am writing this I think we should talk more about it, guiding clients and creatives to more sustainable processes.
What’s next for you and the studio?
We’re diving into some exciting new projects in the music industry that will keep us busy until year-end, along with supporting our existing clients. Heading into 2025, we’re eager to take on more projects in music, fashion, and culture. So, to any brands reading this, if you’re looking for a creative studio to partner with—reach out, we’d love to connect!
Fore more about Debora Saveriano and Heima visit: www.heimaheima.com or email: debora@heimaheima.com.
Debora Saveriano ©
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