Top 5 projects by 2025 DesignThinkers speakers

As I’m writing this, it’s still officially summer. And what a summer it has been. But even in the waning days of August, a slight chill has started to creep into the air. That can only mean one thing is around the corner. Merry Christmas. Wait oh, before that, it’s DesignThinkers Toronto.

Every time I write this article, I say this might be the best lineup we’ve ever had. So please excuse the hyperbole: this might actually be the best lineup we’ve ever had.

Kate Dawkins, Creative Director, Kate Dawkins Studio

Every time I look at the DesignThinkers lineup, there are always a few names that remind me how lucky we are to host a conference recognized internationally as a serious stop for the world’s great creatives. Kate Dawkins is one of them. The experiential work of her studio is mind-blowing—not only in its technicality but in its beauty and thoughtfulness. There are countless projects to be blown away by, but something about the sheer beauty of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo project grabbed me with its fantasy and bombastic scale.

Rob Lowe, Illustrator and Designer, Supermundane

As designers, and really, as people, we change with the times. I’ll admit, I change all the time. As someone who grew up loving grit, dirt and broken design, I’ve come to embrace the need for joy, delight and magic in design. That pretty much sums up everything Supermundane does. It’s tough to pick a single project by Rob, but the cycling kit he designed made me smile from ear to ear, the pandemic/healthcare worker images were inspirational and…and…and... Honestly, everything he does is fantastic.

Samar Maakaroun, Partner, Pentagram

One of my favorite things as a designer is when my perceptions and blind spots are challenged by new ideas. Haraka Buraka (an Egyptian saying that translates to movement is a blessing) SkatePal is a publication that marries Arabic culture with skateboard culture. Using a mix of contributors’ photography, proverbs and written stories, SkatePal opens up ideas about the depth and conceptual nature of what it means to be a skateboarder or a skateboard fan, a citizen of the Middle East and, of course, typography fan. 

Pablo Martin, Creative Director, Notebook

Nicola Hamilton RGD, beloved president of this great association and I giggled uncontrollably when we found out that Pablo was coming to Toronto. I personally feel like Mubi’s Notebook has been one of the absolute highlights to emerge from the pandemic. A magazine for cinema nerds, made by one of the great craftspeople of editorial design. Each issue is an artifact to behold, pairing incredible writing with equally incredible design. Try to find them before they sell out.

Nadia Tzuo, Director & Motion Designer

There’s not much I need to say about Nadia’s work—it speaks for itself. I could point to half a dozen projects from her incredible portfolio that have inspired me: The Hunger Games, X-Men: Apocalypse, Captain Marvel, oh yeah, Men in Black. But the one I keep coming back to is The Last of Us. Its opening sequence is such a masterclass in tension, control and hidden storytelling that I can’t imagine the series having any other introduction.

And now, the +1

Diana Varma RGD, Design Educator & Podcaster

I always want to make sure to shout out someone from our industry family, and I can’t think of anyone better than Diana. I’ve stood outside many of her workshops, hearing the laughter and spilling out of those experiential sessions. They add an extra layer of excitement to this already incredible conference. Diana is running the Making Friends with Failure workshop this year and honestly, I’d (friendly) fight to get in the doors.