We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vasavi Bubna a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Vasavi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?
I was supposed to start college in the cursed year of 2020. Which meant that I would be thousands of miles away from my college, stuck in my parents’ house in Mumbai, India, taking classes in the middle of the night. As someone who had been romanticizing moving to New York City ever since I got my acceptance letter for the School of Visual Arts (SVA), this felt like the worst possible thing that could happen to me. I decided to take a gap semester, and got a six month long internship at Landor in Mumbai for this time period. I was fresh out of high school, with no real understanding of what graphic design really was. This internship was to get my toes wet, and understand how an agency functions.
My mentor, Lulu Raghavan, thought it would be interesting for me to work in different departments across my internship— 1 month in client services, 2 months in strategy, and 3 months in design. This way, I could get a holistic understanding of the agency’s process from start to finish. From June to December of 2020, I woke up each morning and went to my desk facing the window and was a sponge. I learnt everything I possibly could absorb in those 6 months—from writing out meeting summaries, doing trademark searches for brand name proposals, studying category semiotics, designing powerpoint decks, sketching logomarks, conceptualising brand activation ideas, and so so much more. I learnt to do things that I would never learn in my 4 years at design school, especially on the strategy and client services side of things.
These 6 months at Landor created the mould for the designer I have become today. Yes, SVA taught me technical skills and design vocabulary, but it was at this internship I learned how important the work that you do before you even start designing actually is. It has made me a designer who puts creative strategy at the heart of my work, trying to create projects that don’t just look good, but also tell a compelling story. I seek to cultivate audacious narrative through design. I don’t want to make work that makes people stop and look—I want to make work that makes people stop and think. And in order to do that, I need to put real thought and research into my work. I am fortunate that even before I learnt how to design a brand, an internship taught me how to THINK about a brand.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a New York-based designer and a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts (SVA), where I earned my BFA in Design with honors. Originally from the electric city of Mumbai, India, I bring a lively, culturally rich approach to my work—what I like to call “purposeful, considered chaos.” Passionate about type design, I explore how typography adds depth to storytelling, with my designs unfolding as narratives grounded in a strong conceptual foundation.
Currently, I’m an Associate Designer at COLLINS. My experience includes roles at agencies such as Landor, Loyalkaspar, and Memo Productions, where I’ve worked on projects spanning branding, editorial, and environmental design. I also collaborated with Disney Theatrical Productions to craft a three-foot-tall lion mask from NYC Metrocards, celebrating The Lion King’s 25th anniversary on Broadway. While at SVA, I designed a custom variable typeface for the class of 2024 yearbook, adding a unique, personal layer to this annual publication.
My work has been recognized by institutions such as the Type Directors Club, ADC Young Ones, Communication Arts, PRINT Awards, Graphis, and UCDA Design Awards. I’ve shared my design insights as an opener for AIGA NY’s Warm Ups Design Spotlight series and remain actively involved in the design community through mentorship programs and panel discussions.
Beyond my professional pursuits, I’m drawn to the tactile nature of printmaking—especially silkscreen—and have a keen eye for all things woodtype and obscure zines. A lover of bright colors and live music, I bring a curious, bold energy to my work and strive to create audacious narratives through design that resonate on a global scale.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The mission that drives my creative journey is the same mission that guides almost every aspect of my life: to do good. At its core, my work is about using design as a tool for change—to amplify voices that often go unheard, to advocate for causes close to my heart, and to contribute to a more thoughtful, empathetic world. I was drawn to graphic design because I believe in its power to shape narratives, influence perspectives, and spark conversations. Design is not just about aesthetics; it’s about communication, impact, and responsibility. Every project I take on is an opportunity to craft something meaningful—work that not only informs and engages but also challenges people to think differently.
We live in a time where everything in the world feels bleak and apocalyptic, and it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of it all. My art practice is my solace, a way for me to reclaim agency and put something positive into the world. Whether through branding, typography, or print, I want my work to stand for something—to have a clear point of view that reflects my values and beliefs. Ultimately, my biggest dream as a graphic designer is to focus on projects for social good. I want to collaborate with organizations, activists, and communities to create work that doesn’t just exist for the sake of design but serves a larger purpose. Because at the end of the day, if my skills and creativity can contribute to making even a small difference, then that, to me, is the most fulfilling kind of work I could do.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I grew up thinking that a job was something you were supposed to tolerate at best and hate at worst. That idea felt like my worst nightmare—spending 40 hours a week at a desk, punching numbers, dreading every Monday. I refused to believe that work had to be soul-crushing, and I was determined to find a profession where I genuinely loved what I did. I’m incredibly fortunate to say that I found exactly that in design.
Being in a creative field, where your livelihood is tied to your art practice, is both exhilarating and terrifying. There’s an inherent uncertainty to it, a constant push to evolve, improve, and prove yourself. But that challenge is what makes it so fulfilling. Unlike a job you simply clock in and out of, creative work demands passion—it forces you to stay engaged, to think deeply, to care. And when you love what you do, that effort doesn’t feel like a burden.
For me, the most rewarding part of being a graphic designer is the pure elation and excitement that comes with the creative process—the rush of a breakthrough idea, the satisfaction of seeing a concept come to life, the moment when all the pieces click into place. It’s an indescribable high, knowing that something that once existed only in my head is now out in the world, communicating, resonating, and making an impact. That feeling never gets old, and it’s what makes every late night, every revision, and every challenge worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vasavi.work
- Instagram: @vasavi.bubna
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasavi-bubna
