Graphic Designer. Founder & Creative Director, FAY

I’m Verena Michelitsch, an independent designer and art director from Austria by way of New York City. I specialize in conceptualizing and creating unique visual expressions, spanning graphic design, art direction, illustration, pattern, editorial, and digital design. I’ve had the pleasure to work with an array of international studios and clients, including Apple, Nasa/JPL, Facebook, Red Bull, The Smithsonian and Opening Ceremony. I work from my studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

A Design Strategist with a focus on qualitative research, I have extensive global experience gathering and translating consumer insights that improve design on both emotional and functional levels. I champion users within the innovation process to create better experiences at home, work and play, while helping key stakeholders align on successful business strategies. Lately I've partnered with designers from every discipline to create a series of visual brand languages for a world-leading surgical robotics company. The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum published my book, "Design for Repair: Things Can Be Fixed," under the DesignFile imprint in May 2015. Metropolis, Fast Company, and Core77 have published my writing recently.

Currently based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Paul Barbera is a lifestyle and interiors photographer with an observational reportage style whose work spans from cultural anthropology through to luxury living. Paul was born in Melbourne, Australia and currently resides in New York City. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts. With an adaptable yet distinct visual approach, his assignments regularly takes him around the globe, working with publications like VOGUE LIVING, BON APPETIT MAGAZINE, FRAME, MARTHA STEWART, LUCKY MAGAZINE and ELLE DÉCOR and clients including MARRIOTT HOTELS & RESORTS, STARBUCKS, BUGABOO and DEDON. He has been featured in T: THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, the PARIS REVIEW and FORBES. Barbera has turned his long term online passion project Love Lost Project in to an ongoing series of publications with the first limited edition book was available from Dashwood Books in New York and through KK outlet in London. His previous book release, Where They Create, is available globally and now Where They Create Japan.