Experience & education
I’m a designer with a background in both industrial and graphic design, driven by a curiosity for systems, stories, and the visual language that connects them. Over the years, I’ve worked across industries and scales—from creating packaging for global brands to shaping identities for local businesses, designing fashion lines, and developing major political campaigns. Today, I channel that experience as Chief Creative Officer at Amblem, my company focused on branding and design-led product and service development. Previously, I held senior in-house roles at Croatia’s leading home improvement retail chain, first as Head of Corporate Identity—developing brand standards and overseeing the design department—and later as Head of Private Label Design. Alongside my design practice, I hold a Doctor of Science in Graphic Technology and Design and an MA in Design. I’ve also taught at several universities, mostly in the fields of visual communications and design in market communications. Being invited to serve as a professional juror at some of the world’s most renowned festivals—including the Clio Awards—has been one of the highest honors of my career, and a meaningful recognition of my expertise and contribution to the field of design.
Jury
2023 – 2024 Jury member of Mad Stars, Busan, South Korea
2022 Jury member of Clio Awards, Design craft category, New York, USA
2017 – 2019 Jury member of Big Idea – the Communication Umbrella Concept of Istrian tourism, Region of Istria, Croatia
2016 – 2019 Jury member of A’Design Awards design competition, Como, Italy
2016 Jury member of Ad Venture Competition, European Institute of commercial communications education / European Association of Communications Agencies, International
2016 Mentor at the International Marketing Week, “Packaging Design and Sustainable Development”, Ephec and Colruyt Group, Louvain La Neuve, Belgium
Memberships
Mensa
Awards
2023 Platinum medal, for excellency in innovation, Bucharest, Romania
2023 Gold, IR design, Inova, Zagreb, Croatia
2023 Gold medal, IR design, Innovation and Creative education Fair for Youth ICE-USV, Suecava, Romania
2023 Gold medal for Innovation, Euroinvent, Iasi, Romania
2020 Silver, Jewlery design, International design awards, Los Angeles, USA
2019 Finalist, Hidden future – tangible + digital, Zagreb Design Week, Zagreb, Croatia
2017 Winner, Bronze A’design award, A’design award & Competition, category Packaging design, Villa Olmo, Como, Italy
2017 Nominee, Prime “Designer of the Year” nomination by IAD members (International Association of Designers), International
2017 Runner-Up, A’design award & Competition, category Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design, Villa Olmo, Como, Italy
2016 Finalist, “New memories” redesign challenge, Mixer House, Belgrade, Serbia
2012 Finalist, category Packaging design, Magdalena International Festival of Creative Communication, Maribor, Slovenia
2011 Winner, Core77 Design Awards Notable Professional award for Tea Packaging design in the category “Never saw the light of day”, New York, USA
2011 Winner, logo design competition for the Ministry of Justice Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
2010 Winner of the award “100 most promising young designers under 30 years from South Eastern Europe”, Zagreb, Croatia
2010 Bronze, audience award winner and only single exhibitor awarded at the event D-Day, Zagreb, Croatia
2010 Finalist, Christmas tree super store, Croatian Design Society, Zagreb, Croatia
2008 Winner, Home appliance design awarded by the Croatian design society to be among the best industrial design productions in Croatia in the years 2007 / 2008, Zagreb, Croatia
2006 Finalist, “Dress a chair” competition as a part of the event “Fashion Closet” of the Faculty of Textile Technology in Zagreb, Croatia
Exhibitions and Fairs
2023 Euroinvent, innovation fair, Romania
2023 Inova, international exhibition dedicated to innovation, technology, and creative achievements, Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Exhibition of the winning designs of the A’design award & Competition, Utopia International Design Exhibition, Zhuzhou, China
2017 Exhibition of the winning designs of the A’design award & Competition, Ex-Chiesa di San Francesco, Como, Italy
2016 Exhibition “New memories” exhibiting chosen finalists of the redesign of old Metallic company cookware design challenge, Mikser house, Beograd, Serbia
2015 Exhibition of “Design starters” design workshops for children season 2014/2015, Croatian designers association, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 Student exhibition, project task: Web design for non-formal learning, under the mentorship of prof. Boštjan Kenda Botas and assistants Gregor Franken and Maja Matas, members of the Department of Information and graphic technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2014 Shoe design exhibition of Startas design competition, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2012 Photography exhibition on the Skateboard Film Festival Vladimir, Fazana, Croatia
2011 Furniture design exhibition on Ambienta international furniture fair, Zagreb, Croatia
2011 MA Student exhibition, Glyptotheque HAZU, Zagreb, Croatia
2010 School supply design exhibited at the Bienalle of Industrial Design – BIO 22, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2010 Furniture design exhibition on the Vienna Design Week as a part of the Habari stool design competition, Vienna, Austria
2010 Kitchen accessories design exhibition of Gorenje d.d. competition for designing smart kitchen accessories inspired by the simplicity trend, Velenje, Slovenia
2009 Exhibitor on the “Croatian design exhibition” in the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Zagreb, Croatia
2009 Hair dryer design exhibited at the Belgrade Design Week and Design Park festival of creative industries and modern business in the South East European region representing Croatian design, Belgrade, Serbia
2008 Exhibitor at the Best Croatian productions 0708 gallery in “Velesajam”, Zagreb, Croatia
2006 Exhibitor on the “Fashion Closet” event, Stancic Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
Publications
Book editing
Nikša Kušelj, Fleur de Sel / book of poetry, Editor Nikša Kušelj, Maja Matas, Vemako tisak d.o.o., Personal publishing by actor N. Kušelj Cavtat, Croatia 2013. CIP 530527012, ISBN 978-953-57666-0-5
Book design
Antoaneta Radocaj – Jerkovic, Pjevanje u nastavi glazbe, UAOS, 2017, ISBN 978-953-58055-9-5
Book illustration
Josip Gotovac, Gotovci:njihovi korijeni i ogranci / illustrated book of Gotovac family tree, Illustrator Maja Matas, Dalmatia Print , 2015, ISBN 978-953-56112-8-8, 160226027
Book illustration
Nikola Petrovic, Djed i unuk / illustrated book of children’s poetry, Editor Miljenko Jergovic, Illustrator Maja Matas, CIP 776204, ISBN 978-953-7167-34-9
Book illustration
Vesna Degoricija, Emergency Medicine – Hitna medicina, professional literature, ISBN13 9789537942021, ISBN10 9537942023, Libar 2013
My projects published in books:
Art of Package and Structure | Hong Kong
ART OF PACKAGE AND STRUCTURE, Publisher: Artpower, Hong Kong, China, ISBN: 978-988-68243-0-6
Box it Up | Singapore
BOX IT UP, Publisher: Basher Graphic Books, Working Title & Co., Singapore, ISBN 978-981-09-0379-4
Chois Packaging | Shanghai
CHOIS PACKAGING vol.06, Publisher: Chois Publishing Inc., CA & Shanghai, USA & China, ISBN 9781611750478/1611750474
Ecological selection | Spain
ECOLOGICAL SELECTION – PACKAGING, Publisher: Monsa, Spain, ISBN 978-84-15829-52-2
Holiday design | China
HOLIDAY DESIGN – THE FESTIVE & THE JOYFUL, Publisher: SendPoints, China, ISBN 978-988-16834-8-9
Appetite for design | China
APPETITE FOR DESIGN – EAT ME, Publisher: Victionary, China, ISBN 978-988-19438-5-9
Chois Gallery 31. | China
WORLD’S BEST GRAPHICS, Publisher: Chois Publishing Inc., Shanghai, China
