Contribute to Design Tastemaker

Design Tastemaker is an editorial platform exploring the business of design – including industry shifts, studio operations, marketing, technology, leadership, and the evolving ways designers and brands work today.

We welcome thoughtful insights and perspectives from designers, founders, brand leaders, and innovators shaping the future of design.

What We Publish

We accept contributions that fit one of the following formats:

1. Insight Articles

Perspective-driven articles that explore the business, craft, and evolution of design-led brands and studios. These pieces combine experience, analysis, and foresight – helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters and how to respond.

Topics may include:

• The business of design: pricing, profitability, productization, and growth models
• Studio leadership: decision-making, team structure, and founder evolution
• Client experience: journey design, service design, and relationship management
• Marketing and visibility: positioning, authority-building, and audience growth
• Technology and workflows: tools, systems, and operational efficiency
• Market and cultural shifts affecting the design industry

2. Founder / Designer Interviews

In-depth conversations and profiles featuring people shaping the design and creative industries. These stories highlight not only what someone has built, but how they think, why they made certain choices, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Topics may include:

• Studio founders and creative directors
• Product-based founders and brand builders
• Tech leaders working with design-driven teams
• Innovators with a distinct point of view or methodology

Formats include:

• Structured Q&A interviews
• Narrative-led profiles
• Studio or brand deep dives

3. Industry Commentary

Short, opinion-led pieces that respond to shifts, signals, and tensions in the design industry. These articles are timely, directional, and perspective-driven – designed to spark reflection and conversation.

Topics may include:

• What’s changing in how studios operate or get paid
• What’s emerging in tools, platforms, or business models
• What’s no longer working—and why
• Industry assumptions worth questioning
• Signals studios and brands should be paying attention to now

4. Industry Knowhow

Articles that share specialized, practical, and curiosity-driven knowledge for design professionals who want to deepen their understanding of the industry beyond surface-level trends.

Topics may include:

• Specialty and emerging materials (physical, digital, or hybrid)
• Craft, production, and manufacturing processes
• Sustainability, longevity, and lifecycle considerations
• Technology, tools, and platforms shaping how design is produced
• Regional or cultural know-how influencing design practices
• Behind-the-scenes insights from suppliers, makers, or technical experts

What We Don’t Publish

To maintain editorial integrity, we do not accept:

• Pure self-promotion
• Sales pitches
• Portfolio showcases
• “Before/after” project galleries
• SEO-driven articles submitted by agencies
• Links to our articles
• AI-generated content without human refinement

We do, however, offer partnership packages.

Published a book?

✨ If you’ve just published a book, we’d LOVE to know about it!
Thought leadership projects – especially books authored by designers, founders, or industry experts – are highly aligned with our mission.
We are always excited to review:

• newly released books
• upcoming book launches
• author interviews
• insights from your writing process
• excerpts or concepts that shaped the work

If you’ve written a book (or have one coming soon), feel free to mention it in your submission. We consider book-related features separately from promotional content because they contribute meaningfully to the industry’s body of knowledge.

Contributor Requirements

Contributors should be:

• Designers, founders, leaders, strategists, or experts in the design ecosystem
• Able to offer experience-backed insight
• Comfortable sharing practical or philosophical guidance
• Not promoting a service or product directly
• Name, bio & image must be submitted along with the submission

Submission Guidelines

Please submit:

1. Your proposed topic or angle (1–2 sentences)
2. A short bio (40–60 words)
3. Your website and Instagram
4. Headshot or brand photo
5. Any relevant link or resource

Send your submission here

Editorial Process

1. We review submissions for alignment.
2. If accepted, we provide structure or follow-up questions.
3. Final articles are lightly edited for clarity and style.
4. We share estimated publication windows when applicable.

Compensation

We do not offer financial compensation at this time.
Contributors receive:

• A published byline
• Promotion across our digital channels
• Ongoing contributor opportunities
• Priority for future interviews and features
• Social Media Kit with shareable graphics and quote cards
• Article PDF, formatted editorially for your press kit, portfolio, or PR use
• “Featured on Design Tastemaker” badge/logo usage rights