The Outline - Bell, Chromatic States, and Tokyo Drift - 17/07/2026 — Graphics Design

Welcome back to The Outline, your weekly digest of what is shifting, shaping, and stirring the design world. This week we’ve got a bunch of appointments, some cool events, and a couple of fun brand bits.

Let’s dive straight in.

Appointments

Fold7Design appoints Matt Hennell as managing director

Matt Hennell and Tom Munckton standing side by side in a bright, white studio space with large windows in the background. A dark wall sign to the left displays the text "FOLD7 DESIGN". — Matt Hennell and Executive Creative Director Tom Munckton at the London Fold7 studio.

Fold7 has appointed Matt Hennell as the first Managing Director for its brand and design arm, Fold7Design. Joining from his previous role as Managing Partner at Uncommon Creative Studio, Hennell will partner with Executive Creative Director Tom Munckton to steer the studio’s strategic direction. His appointment aims to bring commercial and operational rigour to real-world brand systems in an era crowded with generic, AI-generated content.

MFM names Lucy Crowther as head of marketing

A woman in a white eyelet shirt and light trousers sitting next to a man in a white graphic t-shirt on a dark green velvet couch, set against a warm terracotta wall with a Monstera plant. — Lucy Crowther alongside Dan Gee, Chief Strategy Officer at MFM

Integrated media agency MFM has named Lucy Crowther as its new Head of Marketing in a newly created role to support international expansion. Crowther, formerly of Beyond, Havas, and TMW Unlimited, will lead communications across the UK and Northern Europe. She brings extensive cross-disciplinary experience to advocate for MFM’s model of embedding media strategy directly inside the creative process.

Framestore expands design studio roster with senior trio

Three men standing together indoors in front of large glass windows overlooking a city skyline. From left to right: Ric Comline in a beige button-up, Sean Cooper wearing a hat and black shirt, and Thierry Levy in a black polo shirt. — From left to right: Ric Comline, Sean Cooper, and Thierry Levy

Creative studio Framestore has expanded its London Design Studio roster with three senior appointments: Executive Creative Director Ric Comline, Executive Producer Thierry Levy, and Creative Director Sean Cooper. Reunited after their Cannes Lions-winning collaboration on ‘The Old Piccadilly Lights’, the trio brings deep expertise spanning motion design, 3D, and AI-assisted workflows to strengthen Framestore’s advertising, film, and brand offerings.

Business News

Bell celebrates 50 years in Business with brand evolution

Independent agency Bell is celebrating 50 years in business with a comprehensive brand evolution and identity refresh built for fast-moving digital channels. Founded in 1976 by Alan Bell, the boutique London practice, best known for creating the UK’s ubiquitous ‘Traffic Light’ food packaging labels for the Food Standards Agency, is marking its half-century with a modern positioning anchored by a human-centred design ethos.

AGA opens new showroom at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour

Luxury British heritage brand AGA has opened a permanent showroom within the Design Emporium Collective at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. Positioned as an inspiring trade destination for interior designers, architects, and specifiers, the fifth-floor space showcases AGA’s hand-built craftsmanship, bespoke colour-matching service, and its latest generation of all-electric cast-iron cookers.

Dirt & Glory helps Hexarad redefine modern radiology

Creative communications agency Dirt & Glory Media has delivered a strategic repositioning for healthcare technology company Hexarad. Titled ‘Unlock Diagnosis’ and led by the creative campaign ‘Rewrite the Rules’, the new brand platform moves Hexarad beyond traditional teleradiology by reframing the industry conversation around diagnostic performance, speed, and overall patient outcomes.

Luno Soda unveils bold Mediterranean identity by Sofia

Top-down view of a white plastic cooler resting on beach sand, filled with ice cubes and colorful cans of Luno Soda in Lemon Lime, Cherry, and Orange flavors. — Image courtesy of Luno Soda

Barcelona-born drink maker Luno Soda has unveiled a sun-soaked visual identity and packaging system created by creative agency Sofia. Rejecting clinical wellness tropes and health-first aesthetics, the Mediterranean-inspired design world brings the brand’s whole-fruit sodas to life through oversized fruit illustrations, market-inspired mesh textures, and an energetic palette of citrus yellow, vivid pink, and coastal green.

Events

London Packaging Week 2026 unveils ‘Discovery’ programme

London Packaging Week has unveiled its 2026 visitor programme, returning to ExCeL London on 16–17 September under the central theme of ‘Discovery’. Designed to help packaging and brand design teams tackle complex regulatory and material challenges, the show features an expanded Design Hub powered by Pentawards, a new-look Innovation Gallery with guided tours, and the exclusive premiere of a documentary exploring James Cropper, the UK’s last remaining coloured paper mill.

Pixel Artworks launches ‘Chromatic States’ at Outernet London

Image courtesy of Pixel Artworks/Outernet

Global experience design studio Pixel Artworks has launched ‘Chromatic States’, a free sensory exhibition running daily through the summer at Outernet London. Taking over the Now Trending and Arcade screen spaces, the installation draws inspiration from light artist James Turrell to guide visitors through three evolving emotional states like Tension, Float, and Wonder, using architecture, sound, and light.

Ánako Opens 3D Printing Design Award for Solidarity 2026

Non-profit Ánako APS and 3D printing specialist Prusa Research have launched the Ánako – 3D Printing Design Award for Solidarity 2026, open for submissions until 31 August 2026. The international open call invites designers, engineers, and students to create open-source, FDM-printable components in PETG that address health, safety, and operational challenges in low-resource and emergency contexts.

3DReid Student Prize 2026 showcases future architects in shortlist

3DReid has announced the shortlist for its Student Prize 2026, which includes Bridget Schneider & Hussien Khalil, Jacob Hodgson, Nikki Mrkic-Smith, Raven Schneider, and Takuyu Hirosaki. Each project is chosen for its creativity, ambition and social conscience, shaping the future of architecture and the built environment. The finalists will present their projects at the Student Prize 2026 Final, hosted by 3DReid’s London studio on 24 July 2026.

Curious Campaigns

Shinola and GentleForces challenge time with Nicholas Braun

Detroit lifestyle brand Shinola has partnered with Bermondsey-based agency GentleForces on ‘Set the Pace’, its first overarching brand platform. Starring and co-directed by Succession actor Nicholas Braun alongside Quba Tuakli, the cinematic short reframes luxury for the iconic Runwell watch, challenging the pressure to move faster by encouraging viewers to take ownership of their relationship with time.

Uber Eats and wagamama launch high-octane ‘Drift Deliveries’

A side view of a metallic red sports car with black flame graphics drifting on an asphalt track, spinning its rear tires in a cloud of white smoke. A person extends an arm out the driver's window holding a green Uber Eats bag. — Image courtesy of Wagamama / Uber Eats

To celebrate wagamama’s nationwide launch on Uber Eats, the food delivery platform is trading standard mopeds for a 340-horsepower, neon-glowing 1998 Toyota Chaser drift car. Driven by 2019 British Drift Champion Ollie Evans, the vehicle will deliver hot katsu curry orders across Central London between 21–23 July, backed by a nationwide ballot giving customers a chance to win a year of free food and a ride-along at an iconic racetrack.

That was a good bit of news, wasn’t it?

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