Studio Melli is an independent graphic design practice, born in Tehran and based in The Hague, working locally and internationally at the intersection of graphic design, type design, and cultural and artistic research. Founded by Omid Nemalhabib and Mahsa Gholinezhad, the studio’s name carries its own position: in Farsi, melli means national, something belonging to a people, a collective identity.
Typography sits at the centre of everything the studio makes. Multilingual, expressive, and historically grounded, it carries the depth of Persian visual culture and language into a broader contemporary conversation. The work draws from art, poetry, literature, philosophy, music, and geometry, always building from deep research toward bold, sometimes rough and unconventional expression. Rooted in an ontological reading of design, the work produces typographic narratives; sophisticated in context, raw in form, obsessed with detail, playful and poetic in method, and rebellious against convention, always in dialogue between analogue tools and digital experimentation.
Studio Melli works across visual identity, type design, editorial design, printed objects, motion, and digital experiences for cultural institutions, publishers, artists, and brands. The approach is critical and process-driven, materially conscious, genuinely curious about ideas, and committed to design that is honest, alive, and rarely predictable.
The studio’s work has been presented in local and international exhibitions and festivals, published in graphic design books and magazines including Arabesque, Komma, étapes, and Bi-Scriptual, and recognised by the Type Directors Club as a juror for TDC Ascenders 2018. Alongside the design practice, Studio Melli is actively engaged in teaching, running typography courses, experimental type workshops, and intensive programmes at art schools and academies, both online and in person.
Typography sits at the centre of everything the studio makes. Multilingual, expressive, and historically grounded, it carries the depth of Persian visual culture and language into a broader contemporary conversation. The work draws from art, poetry, literature, philosophy, music, and geometry, always building from deep research toward bold, sometimes rough and unconventional expression. Rooted in an ontological reading of design, the work produces typographic narratives; sophisticated in context, raw in form, obsessed with detail, playful and poetic in method, and rebellious against convention, always in dialogue between analogue tools and digital experimentation.
Studio Melli works across visual identity, type design, editorial design, printed objects, motion, and digital experiences for cultural institutions, publishers, artists, and brands. The approach is critical and process-driven, materially conscious, genuinely curious about ideas, and committed to design that is honest, alive, and rarely predictable.
The studio’s work has been presented in local and international exhibitions and festivals, published in graphic design books and magazines including Arabesque, Komma, étapes, and Bi-Scriptual, and recognised by the Type Directors Club as a juror for TDC Ascenders 2018. Alongside the design practice, Studio Melli is actively engaged in teaching, running typography courses, experimental type workshops, and intensive programmes at art schools and academies, both online and in person.
Contact
For projects, collaborations, and general inquiries, reach out.
studiomelli.projects@gmail.com
we@studio-melli.com
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studiomelli.projects@gmail.com
we@studio-melli.com
Behance
Art direction
Visual identity design
Type design and typography
Spatial & Exhibition design
Editorial
Experimental Publishing
Poster and print materials
Web design
Motion
Creative coding
Visual identity design
Type design and typography
Spatial & Exhibition design
Editorial
Experimental Publishing
Poster and print materials
Web design
Motion
Creative coding
2021 1st Prize in the visual identity design competition for the city of Shiraz
2015 Silver Cypress 4, The 4th Biennial of Iranian Graphic Designers Society
2013 Nominated for Book Design, Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd of IGDS
2011 Nominated Calendar Design, Silver Cypress 2, The 2nd Biennial of IGDS
2010 2nd Prize of Typography Poster Festival, Today Posters, Tehran
2009 3rd Prize of Typography Poster Festival, Today Posters, Tehran
2009 3rd Prize of Meybodi Logo Design Contest
2015 Silver Cypress 4, The 4th Biennial of Iranian Graphic Designers Society
2013 Nominated for Book Design, Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd of IGDS
2011 Nominated Calendar Design, Silver Cypress 2, The 2nd Biennial of IGDS
2010 2nd Prize of Typography Poster Festival, Today Posters, Tehran
2009 3rd Prize of Typography Poster Festival, Today Posters, Tehran
2009 3rd Prize of Meybodi Logo Design Contest
2025 Slanted Magazine #44—Type Fashion
2024 International Assembly, International Poster Book 9
2024 Bi-Scriptual, Second Edition, Multilingual graphic design, Published by Niggli
2022 Stir World Magazine, Graphic design in Iran
2022 It’s Nice That, featuring book covers of Studio Melli
2022 It’s Nice That, Interview, article, and featuring works of Studio Melli
2020 Signs and Seals: 100 Persian Logotypes, Typomania Festival, Moscow, Russia
2018 Bi-Scriptual, a book on multilingual graphic design, published by Niggli
2018 étapes Magazine, Paris, France
2017 Desk Magazine, NYC, U.S.A
2015 Komma Magazine, Germany
2015 Oriental Design Week, Turin, Italy
2014 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year, Tehran, Iran
2014 Golden Bee 11 Book, Moscow International Biennale of Graphic Design, Russia
2013 Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd Biennial of IGDS, Tehran, Iran
2013 Creative Roots Blog, UK
2013 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year, Tehran, Iran
2012 Right-To-Left, Contemporary Arabic and Iranian Visual Culture, Berlin, Germany
2012 Moscow Global Biennale of Graphic Design Golden Bee 10, Moscow, Russia
2011 Arabesque 2, Graphic Design from the Arab World and Persia, Berlin, Germany
2011 Divarkoob, 98 Posters by 51 Iranian Graphic Designers, Moscow, Russia
2011 In Memoriam of Morteza Momayez, Tehran, Iran
2010 [EYE] Book series published by Mahriz Institute for Culture and Art, Tehran, Iran
2010 The sixth Today Posters, Asma-ul-Husna Typography Festival, Tehran, Iran
2009 The fifth Today Posters, Asma-ul-Husna Typography Festival, Tehran, Iran
2007 Bulb Magazine, Germany
2024 International Assembly, International Poster Book 9
2024 Bi-Scriptual, Second Edition, Multilingual graphic design, Published by Niggli
2022 Stir World Magazine, Graphic design in Iran
2022 It’s Nice That, featuring book covers of Studio Melli
2022 It’s Nice That, Interview, article, and featuring works of Studio Melli
2020 Signs and Seals: 100 Persian Logotypes, Typomania Festival, Moscow, Russia
2018 Bi-Scriptual, a book on multilingual graphic design, published by Niggli
2018 étapes Magazine, Paris, France
2017 Desk Magazine, NYC, U.S.A
2015 Komma Magazine, Germany
2015 Oriental Design Week, Turin, Italy
2014 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year, Tehran, Iran
2014 Golden Bee 11 Book, Moscow International Biennale of Graphic Design, Russia
2013 Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd Biennial of IGDS, Tehran, Iran
2013 Creative Roots Blog, UK
2013 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year, Tehran, Iran
2012 Right-To-Left, Contemporary Arabic and Iranian Visual Culture, Berlin, Germany
2012 Moscow Global Biennale of Graphic Design Golden Bee 10, Moscow, Russia
2011 Arabesque 2, Graphic Design from the Arab World and Persia, Berlin, Germany
2011 Divarkoob, 98 Posters by 51 Iranian Graphic Designers, Moscow, Russia
2011 In Memoriam of Morteza Momayez, Tehran, Iran
2010 [EYE] Book series published by Mahriz Institute for Culture and Art, Tehran, Iran
2010 The sixth Today Posters, Asma-ul-Husna Typography Festival, Tehran, Iran
2009 The fifth Today Posters, Asma-ul-Husna Typography Festival, Tehran, Iran
2007 Bulb Magazine, Germany
2026 Schriftbilder; Contemporary Iranian Graphic Design, Kunsthafen, Cologne
2025 Creative Graphics, South Korea
2025 Demo Festival, NL, UK, US, DE
2024 International Assembly, International Poster Exhibition, Glasgow
2024 Lorem Ipsum Graphic Design Exhibition, MidWest, Amsterdam
2023 Call me Ornament 2, Direktorenhaus, Berlin, Germany
2021 Group Exhibition, Students & Teachers, Kherad Art School, A Art Gallery, Tehran
2020 Signs and Seals: 100 Persian Logotypes, Typomania Festival, Moscow, Russia
2018 Huroof, Explorations in Contemporary Typography, Dubai, UAE
2018 TYPE+TEXT Poster Exhibition, Dydo poster gallery, Kraków
2017 TYPE+TEXT Poster Exhibition, Year of the Avant-garde, Museum of Lodz, Poland
2016 Authoritative Design, 100 contemporary Iranian posters, LAU, Beirut
2015 CHIRAN, The International Invitational Typography Poster Exhibition, China, Iran
2015 Oriental Design Week, Turin, Italy
2015 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year
2014 Golden Bee 11, Moscow International Biennale of Graphic Design, Russia
2014 Tasvir-e-Sal | Image of the Year
2013 The 6th China International Poster Biennial
2013 Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd Biennial of Iranian Graphic Designers Society
2015 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year
2012 Right to Left, Graphic Design from the Arab World and Iran, Berlin, Germany
2025 Creative Graphics, South Korea
2025 Demo Festival, NL, UK, US, DE
2024 International Assembly, International Poster Exhibition, Glasgow
2024 Lorem Ipsum Graphic Design Exhibition, MidWest, Amsterdam
2023 Call me Ornament 2, Direktorenhaus, Berlin, Germany
2021 Group Exhibition, Students & Teachers, Kherad Art School, A Art Gallery, Tehran
2020 Signs and Seals: 100 Persian Logotypes, Typomania Festival, Moscow, Russia
2018 Huroof, Explorations in Contemporary Typography, Dubai, UAE
2018 TYPE+TEXT Poster Exhibition, Dydo poster gallery, Kraków
2017 TYPE+TEXT Poster Exhibition, Year of the Avant-garde, Museum of Lodz, Poland
2016 Authoritative Design, 100 contemporary Iranian posters, LAU, Beirut
2015 CHIRAN, The International Invitational Typography Poster Exhibition, China, Iran
2015 Oriental Design Week, Turin, Italy
2015 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year
2014 Golden Bee 11, Moscow International Biennale of Graphic Design, Russia
2014 Tasvir-e-Sal | Image of the Year
2013 The 6th China International Poster Biennial
2013 Silver Cypress 3, The 3rd Biennial of Iranian Graphic Designers Society
2015 Tasvir-e-Sal, Image of the Year
2012 Right to Left, Graphic Design from the Arab World and Iran, Berlin, Germany
2025 Design within Limitations, TRCC Creative Coding
2024 Creative Coding and Perso-Arabic Typography, TRCC
2022 It’s Nice That, Interview, article, and featuring works of Studio Melli
2018 étapes Magazine, Paris, France
2017 Desk Magazine, NYC, U.S.A
2015 Roozrang Magazine, Tehran
2024 Creative Coding and Perso-Arabic Typography, TRCC
2022 It’s Nice That, Interview, article, and featuring works of Studio Melli
2018 étapes Magazine, Paris, France
2017 Desk Magazine, NYC, U.S.A
2015 Roozrang Magazine, Tehran
2024 Graphic Matters, Current Characters III, Breda, The Netherlands
2024 Typographic Nights, Page Not Found, The Hague, Netherlands
2023 Headstand, No—Land Collective, The Hague, The Netherlands
2019 Lost Garden, Iaac Global Summer School, NatGeo Farsi
2018 Headstand, Graphic Design Week, Fine Arts University of Tehran
2018 Payvar Foundation Visual Identity, Kaarmaann House, Tehran
2018 Typography to five senses, National Museum of Science and Technology, Tehran
2017 Type & Visual Culture, Iaac Global Summer School, AB-ANBAR Gallery, Tehran
2017 Public Presentation of Kherad Institute Visual Identity, Tehran
2017 Third Place Identity, Maks Projects, Khanesh Institute, Tehran
2014 The 4th Tehran Annual Digital Art Exhibition, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran
2014 Multi-disciplinary Graphic Design, Vije School of Visual Communications, Tehran
2024 Typographic Nights, Page Not Found, The Hague, Netherlands
2023 Headstand, No—Land Collective, The Hague, The Netherlands
2019 Lost Garden, Iaac Global Summer School, NatGeo Farsi
2018 Headstand, Graphic Design Week, Fine Arts University of Tehran
2018 Payvar Foundation Visual Identity, Kaarmaann House, Tehran
2018 Typography to five senses, National Museum of Science and Technology, Tehran
2017 Type & Visual Culture, Iaac Global Summer School, AB-ANBAR Gallery, Tehran
2017 Public Presentation of Kherad Institute Visual Identity, Tehran
2017 Third Place Identity, Maks Projects, Khanesh Institute, Tehran
2014 The 4th Tehran Annual Digital Art Exhibition, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran
2014 Multi-disciplinary Graphic Design, Vije School of Visual Communications, Tehran
2025 Type & Limitations, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2025 Modular Type Design, Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2025 Type Workshop, Graphic Design Fair, Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2025 Typographic Narratives, Studio Melli, Tehran and The Hague, The Netherlands
2024 Language, Culture, Type with Britt Mörick, WDKA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2023 Experimental Type Design Workshop, Kherad Institute, Studio Melli, Tehran
2021 Visual Identity Design Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran
2018 Scan—Type—Print, Typography Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran
2017 Typography Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran
2025 Modular Type Design, Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2025 Type Workshop, Graphic Design Fair, Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2025 Typographic Narratives, Studio Melli, Tehran and The Hague, The Netherlands
2024 Language, Culture, Type with Britt Mörick, WDKA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2023 Experimental Type Design Workshop, Kherad Institute, Studio Melli, Tehran
2021 Visual Identity Design Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran
2018 Scan—Type—Print, Typography Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran
2017 Typography Workshop, Studio Melli, Tehran