At Stephen Barrett Studio, every project begins with typography

“Typography is always the starting point, a way into a project and a tool for expressing meaning,” Stephen Barrett says of his studio’s guiding principles. “Research and asking questions is important both in an immediate sense, in terms of finding out information, but also in a more philosophical way,” he adds. “Designers look to question the world around them, in order to make it better.” This creative philosophy is something that Stephen champions at every stage, resulting in a style that is emotive and satisfying and often leads to thoughtful, concept-led objects that manifest in books and brands.

Craft, print and process are at the heart of Stephen Barrett Studio, a combination that Stephen describes as “the common thread”. He continues: “Specifying physical materials and production processes develops a typographic identity that tells a story about people, place and activity.” This intentional approach is something that is important to Stephen in both his creative practice and his academic one – he is currently a typographic practice teacher on Central Saint Martins’ Graphic Communication Design programme. “I’ve worked on several projects that we have co-designed with communities, and at CSM there is lots of positive work being done to decolonise the curriculum,” he explains. It’s here that he encourages students to think about their empathetic role as designers and the responsibility one has to their audience to make the world more inclusive.

Stephen’s role at CSM marks a return to his roots, having studied there in the mid-2000s. “It was an exciting and somewhat magical place and a transformational experience for me,” he recalls. “I was in London and surrounded by students and tutors from all over the world,” each bringing their own unique passions, stories and ideas. “We were encouraged to be fearless and explore the subject in our own way,” Stephen ends, “which I believe gave us confidence and independence to sustain a practice beyond the course.”