Gemma Hussey

As of June 2024 I have started offering my own design services after 9 years actively studying and working in design. I offer anything from brand strategy and identity design to other graphic design services and photography. I welcome projects primarily with fashion, beauty, food & drink, hospitality, and sustainable brands as I build my client base in those areas. Alongside my design projects I’ve created a line of hand poured sox wax candles under the name ‘Gem By Nature’. Created using ethically sourced, quality ingredients, currently sold in a Devon-based artisanal retailer and through social media. All labels are designed and printed by hand and social media is managed by me.

- Managed Studio Illicit’s social media accounts - including scheduling and posting - Created graphic and motion based content for logo reveals and website launches - Regularly took professional and iPhone photo content of the team to share on socials - Developed creative video-based content highlighting office life and local businesses/clients - Managed and designed emails on Mailchimp for Studio Illicit’s bi-monthly newsletter ‘The Illicit Account’ - Researched and developed ways to create more effective content, using analytics to provide insight - Wrote monthly blog posts for Studio Illicit’s website whilst including SEO best practices - Shadowed client shoots and took professional and social media photos - Organised Studio Illicit’s 2025 15th Birthday Summer Party by developing the menu with the events venue, creating email newsletters to advertise the event, handing out flyers to local businesses and developing a ticketing system for the welcome drinks

Initially hired as a Design & Marketing Intern for 6 months then promoted to Creative Editor. My role involved: - Designing marketing and social media materials such as bi-weekly email newsletters using Figma and Mailchimp, as well as Instagram posts, stories, reels and Pinterest posts. - Creating web pages including product, editorial, and podcast pages - which includes selecting photography, editing imagery, writing about the sustainable brands, and creating the page layout on Wordpress. - Developing brand partnership pitch decks to present to potential clients. - Creating monthly marketing reports including Google, Spotify Podcast, Instagram, Mailchimp and Pinterest analytics and using insights strategically to develop content that appeals more to the target consumer. At the beginning of my role I wrote city, food and fashion guides, including visiting certain cities and photographing the hotels, restaurants and sights to include in the guides, some of which can be read below.

Maternity cover, freelance position - internal mural design for step-by-step user research/branding process. Using given materials, I put together 2 design phase boards 'immerse' and 'direct' on Miro also using Adobe Illustrator to produce the board background.

Invited to complete a 2 week Brand Experience project as a Strategy Intern. Had the opportunity to experience agency life and a multidisciplinary collaborative working environment. Created an app prototype for WWF, being involved in UX/UI design and brand experience strategy.

Created brand strategy and identity for new fair-trade subscription box business, working with a marketing graduate, copywriter, and the business owner, Kalkidan Legesse. Also helped with budgeting, sourcing boxes, social media content creation, website design, flat lay photography, sign painting and running the stall for Exeter Green Fair 2016.

Through my 4 years studying design management, I established a strong understanding of design process, including the ability to lead teams of varied stakeholders and facilitate innovation for a wide range of industries and complex global and local challenges through a human-centred approach.

Taking this course ignited my passion for brand strategy, identity design and sustainability. For my final major project I created the strategic identity for a self-created plant based café named Satori. My goal of the project was to create a brand that allowed customers to experience vegan and organic food in a luxury, contemporary setting, moving away from the hipster style that veganism was often associated with. The end outcome broadens the audience, bringing in new, up-market adopters to veganism through a sophisticated visual identity.