Meet LOWF's long time visual graphics collaborator, Dan Bisley.

We sat down with the Swedish-Kiwi creative to chat about our latest collaborative project – Urban Escape capsule, his approach to visual storytelling, and how he curates the design studio environment.

We sat down with the Swedish-Kiwi creative to chat about our latest collaborative project – visual graphics for our Urban Escape capsule, and his approach to storytelling through design.

Introduce yourself to our readers… Tell us a little bit about you, and your background.

Hey guys, thanks for having me. I’m a Creative Designer currently living in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand. I was born in Sweden and grew up in New Zealand. Having a connection to both these countries and cultures became a large part of my identity but also, was very formative to my design style. 

Early on, I was always fascinated by graphic design, typography, photography, iconography. I noticed it on record covers, packaging and tv.

I’ve been a part of the design community for about 12 years now, after moving to Melbourne to immerse myself in culture, lifestyle and design. Melbourne is where I met the founders of LOWF – we’ve been collaborating since the label’s inception in 2020. I love everything that we produce together, it always feels like it comes together so naturally.

Have your experiences as a Swedish-Kiwi played a role in your design philosophy?

I definitely think so. There are elements from both cultures that I see in my work and my approach.

Kiwi culture is very relaxed, jovial and salt-of-the-earth. This shines through in my attitude to design. I don’t take myself too seriously and I like to always bring a level of energy, optimism and passion throughout my projects.

Comparatively, Swedish culture has a lot more etiquette, people are community minded but there’s a lovely simplicity about their way of living. This comes through in my more pragmatic and methodical ways, where simplicity and timelessness are at the forefront.

Together there’s an interesting tension between vibrancy and enthusiasm, and minimalism meets crafted aesthetics.

My approach to design lives somewhere between the functional and visual. My core belief is that design should be driven by purpose, then expressed through a visual output.

My approach to design lives somewhere between the functional and visual. My core belief is that design should be driven by purpose, then expressed through a visual output.

What are the core values of the Scandinavian way of life? And how does it transcend into the culture?

Scandinavians are very easy going, diplomatic and kind, with values built on sustainability, creativity and innovation, transparency, equality and trust. Their openness, caring and trust for one-another creates a safe space where creativity and experimentation thrive, essential to innovation. 

They care deeply about the environment and quality of living, ultimately this translates to living an authentic, fulfilling life where community is paramount. These values aren’t dissimilar to LOWF in many ways.

We were fortunate to start our brand design journey with you. When you reflect on the evolution of LOWF over the past few years, what comes to mind?

LOWF has always had a sense of humility about it. When I think about the ethos of Breaking Bread with Friends, the passion and purpose for community feels like what’s lacking in so many modern brands. LOWF embodies a Scandinavian-like way of living – of enjoying a good life with those you care about.

This is an amazing time to be a part of this community. What I love about LOWF is the sense of authenticity that comes through in the people that LOWF attracts. Looking at photos from the events I can see there’s a level of trust and respect in the community, and I’m so excited to see what’s next.

LOWF has always had a sense of humility about it. When I think about the ethos of Breaking Bread with Friends, the passion and purpose for community feels like what’s lacking in so many modern brands. LOWF embodies a Scandinavian-like way of living – of enjoying a good life with those you care about.

Let’s chat about our latest collaborative project, the visual story and the approach to the design 

We set out to create a unique graphic expression that had ties to LOWF’s origin, whilst leveraging equity from the existing BB→F visual language. Having that sense of belonging feels like a vital purpose for the LOWF community so this project really resonated with me.

I started with some loose ideation, where I laid my best and worst ideas on the table. We knew the ingredients we wanted to include so it largely came down to scale and composition.

After some exploration of geo coordinates, looking at ‘icons’ of Melbourne and a lot of gridded type exploration I felt that the creation of a freehand expression of the region had something fluid and interesting about it.

Can we explore the inspiration behind the bold free-form illustration element…

This draws on a graf-style element. Depicting a location can become a little dry, so my aim was to create an element of fluidity to contrast the graphic rigidity and boldness of the typography.   

I printed off some of my favourite compositions then got a heap of markers and began drawing over the graphics, landing on an abstraction of Melbourne’s topography. 

I digitised my sketch then overlaid it on the BB→F graphic, drawing on the relationship between the core brand ethos of breaking bread with friends, and being part of the urban community. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

I printed off some of my favourite compositions then got a heap of markers and began drawing over the graphics, landing on an abstraction of Melbourne’s topography. 

Let's chat design studio, do you curate your environment? What are some of your rituals or must-haves for creating an inspirational vibe?

A cup of single origin in a handcrafted mug is where I like to start. Pair that with a well curated playlist and you’re on the right track. 

Musically speaking, I like to explore new genres and artists, so the studio soundtrack will change dramatically depending on what I’m working on for the day. 

Having tactile design artefacts is also important, these give the dimension I need to ground myself in my work. Oh, and a little bit of incense from time to time.

Life before becoming a Creative Designer… is it true you were a DJ?

Haha. Who told you that? It is indeed. I played in clubs around New Zealand for about six years. I designed a lot of gig posters, some rather questionable, but all in the name of good fun. It was the best of both worlds. I still love electronic music.

A cup of single origin in a handcrafted mug is where I like to start. Pair that with a well nicely curated playlist and you’re on the right track. 

Which music artists do you vibe with?

KAYTRANADA gets a fair bit of play time. I also love the deep house cuts of Chaos in the CBD and Retromigration, Elkka has a special place in my heart, Bonobo, Kendrick, or the likes of Baba Stiltz. It varies a lot.

Lastly, what could you see yourself doing if you took a break from life as a Designer? 

There’s something about going full nomad for a year that really interests me. Driving in a van from country to country, experiencing new cultures and traditions and hearing stories from diverse groups of people. Sometimes it’s so easy to get absorbed in the world around you.