Based in Abbotsford, we are a boutique creative studio delivering strategic design solutions for clients in the built environment, community, corporate, and hospitality & retail sectors. Our name sits at the core of what we do; our purpose is to design with principle. We are passionate about the power of design to enhance and improve the world we live in, and we are always seeking opportunities to work with our clients to impact positive change. Our mission is to collaborate with change-makers and innovators to build brands, websites, and campaigns that service our clients’ needs and help make a better world.
Our Team
Principle Design is a tight-knit blend of multi-disciplinary creative thinkers, designers, strategists, copywriters, photographers, developers and project managers. Drawing on our collective experience, design and technical expertise, our team takes a collaborative approach to every project.
Sash Fernando
Founder & Creative Director
Sash founded Principle Design in 2008 and has been at the helm as Creative Director ever since. He believes storytelling is the link that connects brands with consumers, an essential part of the human experience that forms memories and provokes decision-making. Sash’s creative leadership is an accumulation of his worldly experience from travelling, living and working overseas. He continues to be inspired by his adventures, fusing expertise with strategic design thinking to define brand voices in the hospitality, corporate, built-environment, and community sectors. Solving creative and communication problems remains at the center of Sash’s wheelhouse. He knows how to ask the right questions to grow your business and move your brand forward. Having worked at a number of the world’s most influential creative design agencies, Sash knows how to create successful brands for the global stage – design with principle and the end user in mind. These values continue to inspire the everyday practice of Principle Design and have seen the success of some of Australia’s favourite brands. Sash is a proud family man with two young boys that certainly carry his creative gene. His second love is between the studio and NBA – both of which are celebrated immensely over the weekly WIP.
Jes Egan
General Manager
The numbers, the teamwork, and the execution – these are Jes’s metrics for motivation and her aptitudes for success in the creative space. Her myriad of general management skills comes from a background in graphic design and business operations, seeing her lead a range of teams through complex growth phases. When it comes to understanding the inner workings of the creative industry, Jes has the track record to prove her place. Always getting to the root of the problem, she dismantles client challenges and looks for potential in each team member to deliver powerful and creative ecosystems. She is naturally adventurous, spending a decade working, living and falling in love in the UK, stories that inspire and enthuse the team every day. A visionary leader, Jes’s approach extends beyond the day-to-day, looking for ways to transform the future of Principle Design.
Connect with Jes on LinkedIn
Bella Hume
Marketing Coordinator
As Marketing Coordinator, Bella manages internal and external communication initiatives. Her background in social media design and strategy brings an edge to the studio, ensuring efficiently developed, creatively fine-tuned, social media assets that perform in their market. Bella recognises the high demand for frequent social media sharing and accommodates with well-thought out calendars and defined content pillars to effectively optimise algorithms. Her true love lies in the written word, she compliments new brand identities with a clear tone of voice and strong narratives, informed by a deep understanding of specific industry needs. Bella is wise beyond her years, always willing to take on a new challenge, and does so with exuberance.
Kaushiki Majumdar
Account Executive
Kaushiki is our Marketing all-rounder. Her strong eye for detail ensures that no stone is left unturned when it comes to attracting opportunities for the studio and our clients. Hosting a friendly and purpose-driven nature, Kaushiki draws on her communications background to problem-solve at all stages of the client journey. She will be “the biggest cheerleader for your idea” and will approach it with an analytical and results-focused mind. Always looking for an adventure, Kaushiki is not afraid to jump into a project or out of an aeroplane and she brings this energy to the studio every day!
Sharna Jones
Design Strategist
As a Design Strategist, Sharna creates meaningful brand identities that effectively connect businesses to their audiences. Her background in industrial design means she is a pragmatic designer, seeing beyond just the logo and conceptualising brands in all their forms. She sets herself apart in the studio as our motion styling guru, strategising bespoke animations that perpetuate the visual identity of a brand. Working closely with the marketing team, Sharna offers a designer’s eye and communicates her expertise – helping to deliver unique and premium social media services. No matter what is thrown her way, Sharna will always find the best solution, her creativity truly knows no bounds. When she’s not solving design problems, she is drawing or in nature — often with a cold glass of dry white wine in hand.
Hakim Bogarts
Design Strategist
Hakim approaches creative projects with curiosity and an eagerness to elevate brands through thoughtful design that people connect with. He considers a brand in all its forms and ensures effective creative outcomes in every medium. Digital design is where Hakim shines, his background in UI & UX design brings a fierce competitive streak to the studio, contributing to websites for some of Australia’s most established brands. Considered our in-house movie reviewer, Hakim is famous for his extended film knowledge, always watching the latest flicks and recommending the good ones!
Thao Mai
Studio Manager
As Studio Manager, Thao acts as an anchor for the team — she ensures that, while our ideas may be high flying, we always remain grounded. She knows the studio like the back of her hand and is across every project, task, and milestone. Thao is the go-to person for schedules, timelines, budgets, and ensures all deadlines are met (and to the highest standards). Having mastered the delicate balancing act of tending to the needs of both staff and clients, Thao makes the lives of everyone who interacts with her a little bit easier, and a little bit brighter.
Awards & Recognition
While we’re honoured to be recognised for excellence in the design industry, it’s the projects that we’re most proud of. Awards are nice but successful design outcomes and happy clients are what brings us the most satisfaction.
2019
Melbourne Design Awards
Silver Winner Digital EdTech
Autism Teaching Institute & Western Autistic School
2017
Melbourne Design Awards
Gold Winner Digital Government Services Design
Architects Registration Board of Victoria
2014
Red Thread idN Magazine
Interview with Sash Fernando
Feature article
2012
AGDA Australian Design Biennale
Winner Three Dimensional Design
Edithvale Wetlands Discovery Centre
2012
AGDA Australian Design Biennale
Winner Identity: Logo, Trademark, Symbol
Eighty Eight Beaconsfield
2011
Qantm Create Awards
Winner Sustainability
Principle Design Studio