Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
                                       













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Naomi Akikusa-Dawber is a Creative Director and Producer based in Naarm/Melbourne. At the heart of her practice is an interest in tone and emotional clarity—the invisible work behind how things feel. For the past decade, Naomi’s built a body of work across branding, design and cultural storytelling. In 2017 she co-founded Play On Play Studio, a design practice known for its playful, purposeful approach. Naomi has also been a core part of the Ladies of Leisure collective (2016–2020), an independent platform for women and non-binary creatives. Today, Naomi is the Creative Director of SEQUEL (est. 2025), a Naarm/Melbourne Based multi-displinary studio where film production meets design. 


Represented by Haven’t You Done Well ** indicates via Play On Play Studio

AWARDS
Good Design Awards  |  Green Winner  |   Project: Weave (2025) **
AGDA Awards  |  Finalist  |  Project: Weave  (2025) **
 AGDA Awards  |  Merit  |  Project: Piccolina  (2023) **
The Brand Indentity  |  Poster Competition  |  Winner  |  Out of Time Poster  (2023) **

PANELS / DISCUSSIONS
Melbourne Design Week: Breaking the Pixel Ceiling ED2  |  Panel Host (2024) **
Melbourne Design Week: Breaking the Pixel Ceiling ED1  |  Panel Host  (2023) **
The Design Kids: TDK Tuesdays  |  Guest Speaker  (2022) **
RMIT: Graduate Festival of Design  |  Alumni  |  Guest Speaker  (2020) **
AGDA: First Five Out  |  Guest Speaker  (2019) **
General Assembly: VICE Presents: How to Respond to a Design Brief  | Guest Moderator (2019)
General Assembly: VICE Presents: Hot to Respond to a Design Brief  |  Guest Speaker (2018) **

FEATURES / PRESS
Offcuts  |  Print Feature  “Poster Archive 200”  (2025) **
The Brand Identity  |  Feature, Interview  (2024) **
Broadsheet  |  Article  |  Piccolina Campaign  (2023) **
Counterprint Books  |  Print Feature  “Colour Clash”  (2023) **
The Design Kids  |  Feature  (2023) **
Projekt Mono  |  Feature  (2023) **
Blaze Type  |  Feature  (2023) **
Design by Women  |  Feature  (2023) **
The Brand Identity  |  Feature  (2022) **
AGDA  |  Social Media Takeover  (2022) **
Address Magazine  |  Feature  (2022) **
RMIT  |  Alumni Feature  (2019) **
It’s Nice That  |  Feature  (2018) **
i-D  |  Ladies of Leisure Feature  (2018)  Freelance


RAQ X MAHALIA
2025
Textile Design, Campaign Title Design
Client: RAQ
Textile Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
Photographer: @radhika.photos
Creative Director: @sharkkana
Producer : @olivialaurajames_
Production Assistant: @chayldn
Art Director: @reneeeingram
Lighting: @alexjose.photo
Digi Op: @howimwastingtime
Retoucher: @radhika.photos


MELTWATER
2024
Artwork
Project: Meltwater Mixtape
Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
Station: NTS Radio
Host: M4THS w/Naomi Akikusa


WEAVE COLLECTIVE RE-BRAND
      2025
      Re-brand, Website Design, Social Media
      Client: The Equality Institute + Weave Collective
      Client Lead: Emma Fulu, Domini Marshell
      Studio: Play On Play
      Co-Creative Director: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber, Lucy Fry
      Awards:  AGDA Awards Finalist (2025), Australia Good Design Awards Green Winner (2025)

      GELATO. AFTER PICCOLINA2023Campaign Branding, Social Media
      Client: Piccolina Gelateria
      Studio: Play On Play
      Creative Direction, Head Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
      Producer: SEQUEL FKA Banalarama
      Photographer: Zoe Coldham
      Support Designer, Art Direction: Lucy Fry
      Retoucher: Max D’Orsogna


      FINESSE RE-BRAND2024Branding, Social Media, Website Design
      Client: Murata Prajumas
      Studio: Play On Play
      Creative Direction, Website Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
      Supporting Designer: Lucy Fry


      GARDEN PARTY CAMPAIGN
          2023           Campaign Branding, Social Media, EDM
          Client: RAQ
          Client Lead: Sophia Argoupolous
          Studio: Play On Play
          Creative Directoin, Head Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
          Supporting Designer: Lucy Fry



          FENG SWARVE VENUS FLYTRAP2023Album Art, Art Direction
          Client: Lustre Company
          Studio: Play On Play
          Creative Director / Lead Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
          Supporting Designer: Lucy Fry
          Photographer: Max D’Orsogna

          HERMONE
          2022
          Branding, App Design, Website Design, Social Media
          Client: Body Literacy (Berlin)
          Studio: Play On Play
          Role: Co-Creative Director, Co-Designer
          Co-Creative Director: Lucy Fry