interview
We meet Jana in the Dansaert neighborhood in Brussels where she shares the creative space Rempart 44 with architects, photographers and interior designers. We have a talk about the work she makes, the process behind it and where she’s heading.
Interviewer
If SOMEONE at a party ASKED WHAT YOU DO, HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN IT?
Jana
I design visual identities for people and brands. The process often reminds me of having a garment tailored. I think that's a beautiful metaphor. I care deeply about the details, refining them until a design feels completely right for the person or the brand it was created for. I also love it when someone finds me through something they’ve seen or heard and feels I’m the right person to work with. That’s often how the best collaborations begin.
Hanne Fransen
Interviewer
You create something unique for everyone. Is there still a recognizable style?
Jana
Someone once described my designs as effortless and timeless. That felt like a huge compliment. Timeless design, for me, means branding that can last for years. Not locked into too many rigid rules, but with the door slightly open so the brand can evolve over time. In that sense, I’m not a fan of throwaway culture. I find it a pity when brands completely discard logos that carry so much personality and cultural value. I don’t believe in simply shaping a brand’s look around a trend.
Interviewer
What must a visual identity have, for you, in order to feel right?
Jana
There are a few things that need to be present. First, the client or brand must recognise themselves in what I’ve created. Beyond that, it has to resonate with their audience and bring the right feeling into the world. The communication needs to be clear. I insist on that. And then there is something instinctive. It simply has to feel good and bring a sense of surprise. When those elements come together, there is often a kind of magic. A project feels truly successful to me when those things align and, most importantly, when I have experienced joy during the design process.
Interviewer
There is strong sense of tactility in your work.
Jana
I have always loved working with my hands. Even in digital projects, once the mood and concept phase are defined, I start with my notebook and pencil: cutting, painting, experimenting, looking for the right paper or texture. That part of the process feels very liberating. Surprises happen there that I would never discover behind my laptop. That is why tactile elements often appear in my final work.
Hanne Fransen
Interviewer
Where do you find your inspiration?
Jana
Mostly offline. It’s a mix of things I notice in everyday life and my own visual mood library. I also love spending time in real libraries and bookstores. Every project is a chance for me to explore a new subject or world. When I recently created a moodboard for a jewellery brand inspired by the shapes of sand dunes, for example, it became a reason for me to research sand dunes and watch the Dune films. For the colour palette of that same project, I found inspiration in the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who also imagined artworks in the desert. When building a colour palette, I usually look at references in nature first, and only afterwards at colour samples. There is so much beauty around us if you take the time to look.
Handdrawn map, 1988
Frans Keppens
Interviewer
Typography plays a central role as well. Why?
Jana
I’ve always been fascinated by letters. Words. Text. Everywhere, in the city, in daily life. As a child, I often showed off by imitating different styles of handwriting, haha! Only recently did I consciously connect that to my grandfather, who was a sign painter and typesetter, designing logos by hand. Typography carries emotion. A single word can stand or fall depending on its typeface. Many people underestimate that power.
Interviewer
Do you design your own letters?
Jana
Sometimes I design a wordmark by carefully selecting an existing typeface that fits the brand perfectly. Other times I feel there is a strong need to create something new. I often sense that instinctively from the very first briefing. Recently I started collaborating with a typographer who technically refines my hand drawn logos. That allows me to deliver custom type design to brands.
Interviewer
You collaborate more now than before.
Jana
Yes. When I started, I felt I had to do everything myself. Now I see how much richer a project becomes through collaboration. For Aube Bakery I worked with an illustrator on merchandise. It was a relief. She brought to life what I had in mind but could not fully execute alone.
Hanne Fransen
Interviewer
And finally, do you have a dream client?
Jana
I’m very grateful for every client I’ve had the chance to work with so far. But uh… Rosalía? Haha! I recently heard her speaking on the podcast Fashion Neurosis and was really impressed. Such a pure personality. Aside from that, I once created a fictional film title sequence for L’enfant by the Dardenne brothers, and I loved that process. So designing the typography or visual identity for a film or music video hasn’t crossed my path yet, but it’s something I would absolutely love to do.
