BLOND

In Their Own Words : BLOND Our conversation with James Melia, Founder and Creative Director of @blondcreative , industrial and product design agency. James talks the evolution of BLOND, professional endurance, key client collaborations and strategic design. Full Youtube video out now, link in bio. 📸 - @samfordsamford Featured Products: Impulse Stovetop - @impulse_labs Studio Kitchen Design - BLOND x @verysimplekitchen Fussy Deodorant - @getfussy Lily - Luminate Medical The Peel Chair - BLOND Offcut Table - BLOND Daisyface skincare packaging - @daisyface_skincare

We are happy to announce that our Founder and Creative Director @james.a.melia , has been invited to join a panel of global creatives as a judge for the 2026 @dezeenawards_ . Widely recognised as one of the most prestigious accolades in architecture and design, the Dezeen Awards receive entries from over 75 countries worldwide. Thank you to @dezeen for including us in this year’s judging panel. We look forward to the judging process ahead. #dezeen #dezeenawards #design #architecture #globaldesign #creativeindustry #jury #awards

A closer look into daily life at BLOND, a space designed for people and collaboration. Situated on a quiet back road in Hackney, London, the studio supports a more flexible way of working, with spaces that are simple, functional and purposeful. Cinestills by @henrywoide

Our final major project of 2025 was the renovation and complete overhaul of our studio, reflecting our evolving workstyle and a culture of collaboration across an expanding team. Situated on a quiet back road in Hackney, London, the renovation enables us to work more flexibly, with a space that feels purposeful and visually expresses a creative direction rooted in purity, simplicity, and functionality. The layout introduces a second meeting room, a large collaborative zone, an expanded kitchen, social areas and dedicated breakout spaces. A significantly enhanced workshop now runs continuously, supporting our evolving 3D and prototyping capabilities. At the centre of the studio is a bespoke kitchen and social hub, developed in collaboration with @verysimplekitchen —designed for everyday use, team lunches, whilst seamlessly doubling as a photo studio. Alongside this, we designed bespoke furniture throughout the space, including benches, storage, and desks. Thank you to @mix.interiors and @harrymckinley for covering the story, and to @katietreggiden.1 for a brilliant interview with our Founder and Creative Director, James Melia. More than anything, the studio is designed around people. As James shares in the interview, building a strong culture means creating an environment where individuals can thrive, and a space that teams genuinely want to be in. Photography by @henrywoide

For our recent studio renovation, we collaborated with contemporary Italian kitchen brand @verysimplekitchen to create a central kitchen area that acts as a functional hub for team socials (this week: Build Your Own Sandwich), events, parties, and even as a backdrop for photography. A stainless-steel version of the iconic VS:K design was specified, paired with in-house designed handles by BLOND and an island as the central feature. A customised lightbox is suspended above the island, casting a diffused glow and creating an atmosphere that feels refined, understated and subtly futuristic. Embedded within the design is the Impulse stove, designed by BLOND and used frequently as an integral part of the kitchen. #VSK #blondcreative #kitchendesign #officedesign #designstudio

We are delighted to announce that our Founder and Creative Director @james.a.melia will join a panel of respected creatives and industry voices for this month’s @framemagazine Awards. Celebrating global excellence across interior and product design, as well as spatial innovation, the FRAME Awards continue to champion sustainability, creativity, and forward-thinking design. A big thank you to FRAME team for inviting us to take part. #framewards #framewards2026 #frameawardsjuryapril #framemagazine @framemagazine

BLOND is looking for a Senior Motion Designer to join our studio on a 3~6 month fixed-term contract. This role is focused on expressive visual systems and character-led animation within a product context. If this sounds like an opportunity for you, please review the full job description through the link in our bio.

BLOND is expanding and looking for a Design Director to join our East London team. This role is suitable for someone at Director level with 10+ years of experience in the industrial design industry. You can review the full job description through the link in our bio. If this opportunity sounds like a match for you, we’d love to hear from you.

BLOND is looking for a Senior Graphic Designer (5+ years) to join us on a temporary contract for a special project. This role would be suitable for someone who is London-based and looking to support on a 3-6 month fixed term. Experience across varied aspects of design, from branding to motion graphics, is beneficial. Please review the full job description through the link in our bio.

We’re looking for Senior Designers (5+ years) to join our expanding team in East London. You can find the full role details on leManoosh or through the link in our bio. If it feels like a match, we’d love to hear from you. And if you know someone who might be a great fit, feel free to tag them in the comments.

Our next guest on the Crit is James Melia, founder and creative director of London-based design agency @blondcreative , who joins us in the studio to discuss reductionism in design. Over the last 11 years, Blond has offered design and strategy work to clients ranging from established technology and engineering brands such as Bosch, Samsung and Mitsubishi, to start-ups such as refillable deodorant brand Fussy and financial technology company Revolut. The studio has also conducted self-initiated projects and exhibitions interrogating its own process, from studies of the impact of AI on design to investigations into their sources of inspiration. Listen to the episode to hear James discuss the story behind the agency’s name, the challenges of designing refillable packaging, and his dream of designing a catheter. For those new to the show, The Crit is a fortnightly podcast where we invite designers to review themselves. Each episode, Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford chats to a leading designer about key projects from their career: what worked best, what failed, what pushed their career to new heights, what feedback was most impactful, and what their dream design would be. At the end, they’ll be asked to give themselves a grade for their career to date. The episode with James is now live wherever you get your podcasts from, and also check out our previous episodes with @yinka_ilori , @bethanlaurawood , @martinogamper , @seetalsolanki , @stefandiez , @bisilanoha , @instamarriott2.0 , @katy_marks_bossacapella , @trentjansenstudio , @yurisuzukilondon , @studioilse_ , @pearsonlloyd , @andumasebo , @jayosgerby , @nellybenhayounstudios , @_studiomama , @doshilevien , @paulcocksedge , @nothing , @barnard_jo , @tomokoazumi , @benjaminhubert , @lisevester , @nickfoster_rdi , design.by.samuelross, @ori_orisun , @abrogersdesign , @tiipoi , @charleneprempeh and @jonmarshalll , and @liliana_ovalle . Image: @leo_rothmoser Music: @yurisuzukilondon The Crit was recorded at @kef.eu music gallery in London.

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Design Engineer (5+ years) to join our growing studio in East London. This role is suited to someone with a background in mechanical or electrical engineering who’s comfortable working within a multidisciplinary studio. You’ll collaborate closely with industrial designers and strategists, helping translate ideas into manufacturable, resolved products across a range of sectors. Know someone who fits this role? Feel free to tag them below. Full details are available in the link in our bio.