What Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn does

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn (SL&DB) is a privately-held Dutch creative studio co-founded by Max Lennarts and Menno de Bruijn, operating from Calandkade 157 in The Hague, Netherlands, with a stated headcount band of 1-10 employees. The studio delivers post-multidisciplinary design services spanning visual identity systems, campaigns, website design and development, branding, art direction, book and publication design, animations, copywriting, video production, merchandise, exhibition design, and illustration. Its named client base spans roughly 20 enterprises across cultural institutions (Kunstmuseum Den Haag/KM21, Grand Theatre Groningen, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Zeeuws Museum, Escher in het Paleis, Bureau Europa, Stroom Den Haag), fashion and retail (Bershka, Jan-Yan, Ecco Leather, Blanc Essentials, Manon de Vlieger), music and festivals (Appelsap Festival, Studio Brussel), media and publishing (De Correspondent, We Are Public), education (Royal Academy of Art, The Hague), and sustainable aquaculture (The Kingfish Company).

The studio's underlying technology is conventional creative tooling applied across twelve service categories, with no proprietary software, APIs, patents, or AI/ML components disclosed in the source data. Custom typography, web design and development, and bespoke visual identity systems constitute the most differentiated technical capabilities. The studio markets through an Instagram presence, a categorized portfolio website, design industry press features (It's Nice That, AIGA Eye on Design, People of Print, Creative Boom), and earned mainstream media coverage including The Guardian, Volkskrant, NOS, and Vice Creators NL.

Commercially, the studio operates a project-based professional services model for agency clients and a parallel direct-to-consumer channel under the We Fake Smile sub-brand (wefakesmile.com), selling limited edition Escheresque prints (edition of 50, 300gr Gmund papers), hand-tufted wool rugs, and jacquard-woven throws. Pricing is not publicly disclosed for agency services. Geographic reach is concentrated in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany with notable presence in the United States and United Kingdom via individual client engagements and the Stay Sane Stay Safe initiative, which reached designers in 83+ countries. The studio is independently owned with no external funding, parent company, or institutional investors disclosed.

Name

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn

Legal name

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn

Website

https://lennartsendebruijn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn is a two-partner Dutch creative studio in The Hague delivering visual identities, campaigns, websites, branding, art direction, publications, and merchandise for cultural institutions, fashion brands, and music clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Visual identity design
• Brand campaign design
• Website design development
• Art direction services
• Custom typography design

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Client commissions for visual identities, campaigns, branding, art direction, book design, animations, copywriting, video production, merchandise design, and exhibition design
2. Product Sales (We Fake Smile): E-commerce sales of limited edition prints, clothing, rugs, and other carefully crafted objects through their webshop wefakesmile.com

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn is a creative design studio that delivers project-based services spanning visual identity systems, branding, campaign design, website design and development, art direction, book and publication design, animations, copywriting, video, merchandise design, exhibition design, and illustrations. The studio primarily serves cultural institutions, fashion brands, and music/festival clients, and also sells limited-edition prints, hand-tufted rugs, and jacquard-woven throws directly to consumers through its We Fake Smile webshop.

Product overview

Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn (SL&DB) is a post-multidisciplinary Dutch design studio offering creative services including visual identities, campaigns, websites, branding, art direction, books, animations, copywriting, videos, merchandise, exhibitions, and illustrations. Their service portfolio spans cultural institutions, fashion brands, music festivals, and businesses. The studio also operates We Fake Smile, their own branded product line including Escheresque Prints (art prints inspired by Escher and The Hague), Broken Rugs (hand-tufted wool rugs), and Jacquard Woven Throws (textile blankets), all sold through their webshop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visual Identity Design Brand identity design service including logo design, visual identity systems, and brand guidelines for cultural institutions, fashion brands, and businesses.
• Campaign Design Creative campaign development including visual campaigns for exhibitions, festivals, cultural events, and marketing initiatives.
• Website Design and Development Website design and development services creating digital platforms for artists, museums, and cultural organizations.
• Art Direction Art direction for photography projects, publications, fashion campaigns, and events.
• Books and Publications Book design, editorial design, and publication creation including catalogues, graduation books, and artist monographs.
• Animation and Motion Graphics Motion graphics, animations, and moving poster design for campaigns and digital platforms.
• Exhibition Design Exhibition design and visual identity for museums and cultural institutions.
• Custom Typography Design Custom typeface and typography design for brands, applied across various media including campaign work such as Bershka custom type.
• Escheresque Prints Limited-edition art prints (edition of 50) inspired by Escher and The Hague, white toner high quality prints on 300gr Gmund colors papers, signed and numbered.
• Broken Hand-Tufted Rug Hand-tufted wall rug made from 100% New Zealand Wool with ultramarine blue cut pile and light-blue loop accents, 180cm x 220cm, one-off production.
• Jacquard Woven Throws Jacquard-woven blankets designed for walls, beds, couches, or picnics, sold through We Fake Smile webshop.
• We Fake Smile Webshop Direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (wefakesmile.com) selling limited edition prints, clothing, rugs, and other carefully made objects by Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn and Friends.

Quantifiable outcome

• Stay Sane Stay Safe platform reached nearly 2000 poster submissions from 83+ countries during COVID-19 pandemic
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• OverdeschreefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLetter agency collaboration on Stay Sane Stay Safe positive poster platform. Joint effort between Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn and Overdeschreef in response to COVID-19 pandemic, creating a platform for designers worldwide to submit positive posters supporting healthcare workers.
• Graphic MattersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBi-annual graphic design festival in Breda collaborated on Stay Sane Stay Safe poster campaign covering 275 spots in Breda with SSSS posters. Later expanded with two movable exhibitions containing 23 posters each.
• Exterion MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor media partner that offered to loop 16 posters (in a set of 4x4) on 2500 digital advertising pillars throughout The Netherlands for Stay Sane Stay Safe campaign.
• We Are PubliccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on cultural projects including Free Art Now and Front Row cultural experiment. We Are Public focuses on groundbreaking events with cutting-edge creators.
• Centercom BVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor media masters collaborated on Free Art Now project making artwork available free for all across Amsterdam streets.
• ADCNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerADCN played matchmaker facilitating collaboration between Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn and Exterion Media for Stay Sane Stay Safe campaign.
• HOBU AmsterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on building projection of Stay Sane Stay Safe posters at Amsterdam UMC hospital, running 3 weeks with 12 different designs per week.
• Drukkerij TielenminorOthersPrinting partner that helped produce posters for Dutch hospitals as part of Stay Sane Stay Safe initiative.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Mucho Studio: Barcelona-based post-multidisciplinary design studio delivering identities, editorial, and exhibition design with a comparable aesthetic-driven, culture-leaning client base.
• Pentagram: Largest independent design partnership globally; same partner-led model delivering identities, campaigns, and editorial across culture and commerce, with much larger scale.
• &Walsh: Independent design studio led by Jessica Walsh; partner-led model delivering identities, campaigns, and editorial comparable in scope and craft to SL&DB.
• Koto Studio: London-based branding and identity studio serving consumer and cultural brands with multi-disciplinary brand systems and campaigns.
• Lust.nl: The Hague-based design studio with comparable size, aesthetic, and overlap in cultural-institution clients (museums, festivals, public projects).
• Lava Amsterdam: Dutch design studio of comparable size working across identities, motion, and digital for cultural and commercial clients.
• Bureau Mirko Borsche: Munich-based independent design studio producing identity, campaign, and cultural-sector work with a similar founder-led creative reputation.
• Studio Dumbar: Rotterdam-based Dutch design studio of similar scale specializing in visual identities, branding, and cultural-sector clients. Closest geographic and capability peer.

Broad incumbents

• Anomaly: Larger independent creative agency with brand identity and campaign capabilities overlapping with SL&DB's services, but operating across advertising and product as well.
• Total Design: Larger, longer-tenured Dutch design and branding agency with broad service portfolio and similar client mix of cultural and corporate accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/studio_lennartsendebruijn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studio Lennarts & De Bruijn