AP Hogeschool 2025
Expert Class - Brand Experience Design
It was a pleasure to be invited back by our good friend Stijn to lead a talk on the Creative Industry with the students at AP Hogeschool. Speaking with the next wave of creatives is something we value, an opportunity to share not only our work but also the lessons we’ve learned in building projects, relationships, and a creative life.
We walked through how we approach projects, clients and culture. Storytelling sits at the heart of everything we do, especially in retail design. Our aim is to create culturally relevant and sustainable spaces that reflect a brand’s identity while engaging customers on a deeper, human level.
To frame our work, we group projects into four areas: strategy, design, pop-ups, and campaigns. Each project is unique, but our process is consistent immersing ourselves in brand, product, and audience while reading the cultural context. Details matter, whether in materials, layouts, or activations, and we see every element as an opportunity to add meaning.
We also spoke about today’s challenges: retail is no longer just about driving sales, it’s the primary real-world touchpoint for brands. People want authenticity, innovation, inclusivity, and responsibility and above all, they want to feel an emotional connection. That’s why we focus on helping brands find their “soul”: a clear sense of purpose, personality, and relevance.
Looking ahead, we shared the shifts shaping the industry: AI moving from experimentation to integration, the need to work authentically rather than just harder, and the idea of creative lives rather than linear careers. We believe slow retail—spaces designed for depth and presence, will play a growing role, alongside bold, adaptive storytelling.
In the end, we left students with this: brands that endure are those that keep connecting emotionally, delivering consistent yet creative experiences that matter.