Draplin Design Company

Draplin Design Company
Name	Draplin Design Company
Type	Private
Industry	Graphic design
Founded	2004
Founder	Aaron Draplin
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon, United States
Area served	International

Draplin Design Company is an American graphic design studio known for bold, retro-inspired branding, poster, and logo work. Based in Portland, Oregon, the studio gained prominence through a combination of commercial commissions, popular merchandise, and high-profile speaking engagements. Its work bridges contemporary identity design and Americana-influenced visual culture, attracting clients across technology, outdoor recreation, and cultural institutions.

History

Founded in 2004 in Portland, Oregon, Draplin Design Company emerged during a revival of interest in analog graphic techniques paralleling trends at Pentagram, IDEO, Frog Design, Landor, and Sagmeister & Walsh. The studio's early years overlapped with the growth of SXSW and the consolidation of digital design platforms such as Adobe Systems' Creative Suite, which shaped production workflows. Draplin Design's trajectory intersected with the resurgence of print-oriented studios like House Industries and M/M (Paris), while regional designers from the Pacific Northwest—linked to entities such as Brooks Brothers-era textile collaborations and the legacy of Northwest School artists—helped define a local aesthetic. Over the 2000s and 2010s the studio expanded from local poster work to international branding, engaging with trends visible in exhibitions at venues similar to Cooper Hewitt, Museum of Modern Art, and Design Museum.

Founders and Key Personnel

The studio was founded by graphic designer Aaron Draplin, who trained at institutions including Minnesota State University, Mankato and worked at firms and organizations such as Snowboarder Magazine-affiliated studios and corporate clients in the Minneapolis design scene prior to relocating to Portland, Oregon. Draplin's career narratives reference collaborations and mentorships associated with studios in Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco, and interactions with designers connected to Pentagram and Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv-style identity practices. Key personnel beyond Draplin have included art directors, illustrators, and project managers recruited from networks tied to Corcoran School of the Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, and design collectives with ties to AIGA chapters and regional design festivals.

Design Philosophy and Style

Draplin Design Company’s aesthetic synthesizes influences from American vintage advertising, industrial signage, and postal and governmental insignia like those produced historically by agencies comparable to U.S. Postal Service contractors and mid-century General Motors branding. The studio emphasizes clear iconography, robust typography, and limited color palettes—approaches resonant with the work of Herb Lubalin, Saul Bass, Paul Rand, and contemporaries such as Michael Bierut and Stefan Sagmeister. Its process often foregrounds sketching, hand lettering, and analog printing techniques, aligning with practices championed by practitioners from Letterform Archive holdings and studios showcased at Type Directors Club events. This philosophy supports scalable identity systems used by brands in outdoor recreation and food and beverage sectors.

Notable Projects and Clients

Draplin Design Company has produced identities, posters, packaging, and merchandise for a range of clients from tech and retail to cultural institutions. Notable collaborations include work for companies and organizations similar to Nike, Patagonia, Ford Motor Company, Esquire, The New York Times', regional craft breweries, and outdoor brands akin to REI and Yeti. The studio has also created graphics for festivals, conferences, and non-profits echoing associations with Levi Strauss & Co.-style heritage brands, museums with programming like Smithsonian design exhibits, and media entities such as Rolling Stone and Wired. These engagements often extend into limited-edition product lines sold through the studio's own retail channels.

Products and Merchandise

Beyond client services, Draplin Design Company operates a merchandise program featuring posters, books, patches, enamel pins, and apparel. The product line reflects collaborations and limited runs similar to releases by MoMA Design Store and independent design shops like Present & Correct. Published items have included compendia of logo work and poster series comparable to tomes from Unit Editions and Rockport Publishers. Merchandise sales are facilitated through retail partnerships and pop-up presences at events with profiles like Powell's Books signings and design fairs resembling NYCxDesign.

Exhibitions, Talks, and Publications

Aaron Draplin and the studio have been featured in exhibitions, speaking engagements, and publications across the design world. Draplin is a frequent speaker at conferences and festivals akin to AIGA, How Design Live, TypeCon, Adobe MAX, and regional gatherings such as Design Week Portland. His lectures and workshops echo formats used by speakers at TEDx and institutional panels hosted by schools like Cooper Union and Parsons School of Design. The studio's work appears in print and online coverage in outlets comparable to Print Magazine, Communication Arts, and Fast Company', and in monographs that mirror the catalogues produced by Phaidon and Taschen.

Awards and Recognition

Draplin Design Company and Aaron Draplin have received recognition from professional bodies and publications including honors comparable to AIGA awards, selections by Communication Arts, and features in year-end lists like those curated by Print Magazine and Design Week. Draplin's public profile includes guest curator roles and participation on juries for competitions associated with institutions such as Type Directors Club and design festivals modeled after London Design Festival.

Category:Design companies of the United States Category:Companies based in Portland, Oregon