Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
                                       













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Naomi Akikusa-Dawber is a Creative Director, Designer 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 and Producer at 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 
* indicates via SEQUEL

AWARDS
AGDA Awards | Finalist | Project: Oats The Label | 2026 *
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
The Design Kids : TDK Tuesdays | Panelist | 2026 *
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 x VICE: How to Respond to a Design Brief | Guest Moderator | 2019 **
General Assembly x VICE: Hot to Respond to a Design Brief | Guest Speaker | 2018 **

FEATURES / PRESS
Offcuts | Print Feature “Patch Work: Logo Archive” | 2026 *
Offcuts | Print Feature  “Poster Archive 200” | 2025 **
The Brand Identity | Feature, Interview | 2024 **
Broadsheet | Article | Piccolina Campaign | 2023 **
Counterprint Books | Print Feature “Colour Clash” | Melbourne Music Week Branding | 2023 **
Counterprint Books | Print Feature “Colour Clash” | FCAC Summer Events | Branding | 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 (2018) **
Address Magazine | Feature  (2018) **
RMIT | Alumni Feature  (2019) **
It’s Nice That | Feature  (2018) **
i-D | Ladies of Leisure Feature (2018) 
SPASTA2023Festival Branding, Art Direction
Client: Finding Figaro
Client Lead: Adriana Lazaridis
Studio: Freelance
Creative Director: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
Designer: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber
Photoshoot Art Directors: Naomi Akikusa-Dawber, Lucy Fry
Photographer: Max D’Orsogna