Base Design
Base Design is a privately held global brand design agency network founded in 1994 in Brussels, operating six studios across NYC, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon, and a distributed Digital team. It delivers brand strategy, visual identity, packaging, and digital platforms to enterprise and cultural clients worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Base Design does
Base Design is a privately held global brand design agency network founded in 1994 in Brussels by Thierry Brunfaut, operating today across six studios: New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon (joined October 2025), and a distributed Digital team spanning eight countries. The firm offers brand strategy, visual identity systems, packaging design, digital platforms, and brand activation for enterprise and growth-stage clients across cultural institutions, fashion, hospitality, food & beverage, technology, and nonprofit sectors. Named clients include MoMA, Adidas, Calvin Klein, JFK Terminal 4, KANAL (Centre Pompidou Brussels), the International Olympic Committee, UNICEF, and Caran d'Ache, with a recurring roster that includes Adidas Originals and Calvin Klein handled across multiple studios.
The firm's core methodology centers on "Living Brand Systems," an adaptive framework spanning visual, sonic, and behavioral brand layers, supported by Base Digital's in-house technology stack covering generative tools, AI prototyping, e-commerce platforms, creative coding, and high-performance digital infrastructure. Base Digital's distributed engineering model allows the network to deliver digital products (e.g., Galerie Dior, Prince Estate, Studio Museum in Harlem) without a single physical tech office.
Base Design operates as a professional services firm on project-based and likely retainer engagements, monetizing senior-partner-led client work. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no disclosed marketing/lead-gen budget beyond industry press visibility and partner thought leadership. Ownership is held by founding partners (Brunfaut and Jeurissen) and per-studio partners; no external venture or private equity investment is recorded, and the firm has never raised institutional funding.
Base Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Base Design
- Legal name
- Base Design
- Website
- https://basedesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Base Design is a privately held global brand design agency network founded in 1994 in Brussels, operating six studios across NYC, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon, and a distributed Digital team. It delivers brand strategy, visual identity, packaging, and digital platforms to enterprise and cultural clients worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Base Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Brand Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop) (BPAEAFAA), Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH)
Keywords
Where Base Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Base Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brand Identity & Strategy Services: Project-based branding engagements with enterprise clients including brand strategy, visual identity development, packaging design, and activation. Retainer arrangements likely for ongoing client relationships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Base Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Base Design is a global branding and design agency that develops brand strategies, visual identities, packaging systems, and digital platforms for enterprise clients across cultural, fashion, hospitality, food and beverage, and technology sectors. The firm operates a network of six studios in New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon, and a distributed Digital team, delivering end-to-end brand transformation work through its 'Living Brand Systems' methodology that combines strategy, design, and technology.
Product overview
Base Design is a global brand design agency network operating across six studios (New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon, and Digital). The company specializes in brand strategy, visual identity design, and creative services rather than a traditional software product. Their service offering is structured around their network of studios, each contributing to brand development across various industries including cultural institutions, fashion, hospitality, technology, and consumer brands. Base Design does not offer modular software products or distinct named product offerings with individual pricing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Strategy Services
- Visual Identity Design
- Packaging Design
- Digital Platform Development
- Multisensory Brand Identity & Sound Design
Companies that use Base Design
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Base Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Base Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Rice Studios (becoming BaseSaigon)coreRice Studios, founded in 2011 by Joshua Breidenbach and Chí-An De Leo in Ho Chi Minh City, officially joined the Base Design network on October 16, 2025. The studio, now BaseSaigon, brings 15 years of Vietnam creative expertise to the global network. Led by Partner & CEO Chí-An De Leo and Partner & ECD Joshua Breidenbach, the team of approximately 30 creatives positions local brands globally and global brands locally.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Base Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Collins: Brand strategy and design firm headquartered in New York with offices in San Francisco and London. Comparable to Base in serving premium fashion, tech, and cultural clients with integrated brand strategy and identity work.
- Mother Design: Design arm of independent creative network Mother. Comparable to Base in serving premium clients across cultural, fashion, and consumer categories with integrated brand and creative direction.
- Manual: Brand and design firm operating in San Francisco, New York, and London. Comparable premium positioning and enterprise client mix (particularly in tech and consumer) to Base's US and Europe studios.
- MetaDesign: Independence-era brand consultancy with offices in San Francisco, New York, Beijing, and Zurich. Direct comparable to Base in delivering brand strategy, identity, and digital experience design for global brands.
- Mucho: Independent design studio with offices in San Francisco and Barcelona. Closely comparable in scale (~50–80 staff), partner-led model, and focus on cultural and enterprise brand identities — and in visual/design philosophy.
- Lippincott: Brand strategy and design consultancy with offices in New York, London, Seoul, and Shanghai. Closely comparable to Base in delivering high-end brand strategy and identity for global enterprise and consumer brands.
- Pentagram: Largest independent partner-led design firm with offices across the US, UK, and Asia. Most direct comparable to Base in structure (partners-as-principals), premium positioning, and brand identity scope, though typically larger in headcount.
Broad incumbents
- Interbrand: Omnicom-owned global brand consultancy with 30+ offices. Competes with Base on enterprise brand strategy, naming, and identity mandates and bundles consulting and analytics services that Base does not offer.
- Landor & Fitch: WPP-owned global brand consulting and design network with 27+ offices. Overlaps with Base on flagship brand identity and wayfinding (e.g., airports, cultural institutions) but operates with much broader scale and holding-company resources.
Emerging players
- Koto: Independent branding studio with offices in London, Berlin, New York, and Shanghai. Comparable to Base on visual identity, naming, and brand strategy for early-stage and growth-stage global brands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Base Design social profiles
Digital presenceBase Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Base Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Base Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Base Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Base Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Base Design
What does Base Design do?
Base Design is a global branding and design agency that develops brand strategies, visual identities, packaging systems, and digital platforms for enterprise clients across cultural, fashion, hospitality, food and beverage, and technology sectors. The firm operates a network of six studios in New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, Saigon, and a distributed Digital team, delivering end-to-end brand transformation work through its 'Living Brand Systems' methodology that combines strategy, design, and technology.
Is Base Design a public or private company?
Base Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Base Design founded?
Base Design was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Base Design based?
Base Design is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Base Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: brand Identity & Strategy Services.
Who are Base Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Collins, Mother Design, Manual, MetaDesign, Mucho, Lippincott and Pentagram. Broad incumbents are Interbrand and Landor & Fitch. Koto is listed as an emerging player.
Does Base Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Base Design.
What industry is Base Design in?
Base Design's product category is Brand Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAEAG, Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage), with a secondary code of BPAEAFAA, Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop). Its NAICS code is 54143.