Tell us about the studio: Who are the founders, how many employees, where are you based, what’s your speciality, any details you’d like to share.

Appelle moi Papa is a graphic design studio based in Nantes, France. We have been operating since 2010 and currently consist of three graphic designers: Lucie, Jonathan, and Tom. We create graphic objects in various forms, such as visual identities, communication materials, publications, and signage. Originally, the studio was founded by a group of five friends. We met during our studies, and a few years after graduating, we decided to live together and build a shared professional project. From the start, we embraced a collective approach, blending applied arts with artistic research. That’s why, alongside commissioned work, our trio also organizes exhibitions that allow us to question our practice and explore different mediums such as screen printing, glassblowing or woodworking. Aesthetically, we enjoy challenging graphic codes and tools—color, typography, imagery, and composition—to find solutions that are both minimal and impactful. Since 2013, our offices have been located at La Bonneterie, a co-working space we created, which now hosts other creative and entrepreneurial talents.

What is the story behind the name of the studio?

When we started, we were a group of adventurous friends experimenting with images, discovering screen printing, and participating in alternative exhibitions—closely connected to the music and fanzine scene. We were young and irreverent. The phrase "Call me daddy", translated into French, was a way to reference family ties while humorously implying a position of superiority—without taking ourselves too seriously. Today, we don’t really identify with the protective father figure anymore. What will happen to the name? We don’t know yet!

Which topics or industries are you most passionate about and focused on?

Initially, we were drawn to the cultural sector. Working with a theater or a music festival seemed like the perfect way to express creativity—and it was. However, over time, we’ve realized that we can extend our graphic universe to very different fields, which challenge us in new ways: an archaeology conference, a magazine cover on war themes, university signage, or branding for a real estate agency. One of the most exciting aspects of our job is diving into new fields of activity, discovering, questioning, and translating them visually. Every project is its own adventure.

Do you listen to something or play music while working?

It depends on the moment. We work just a few meters from each other, and creating images is a small part of our job—there are also accounting, administrative tasks, and more. So, we all have different concentration needs. While we sometimes share our latest musical discoveries, the office is usually quiet and focused.

How does the team wind down or spend quality time together?
 

We've been friends for a long time, so we do what friends do—talk, go out to eat, grab drinks. One of our best memories is an office trip to Rome in 2015.

What’s the hardest thing about running a studio?

It’s not necessarily about being a graphic designer itself. While the job requires patience, adaptability, and constant self-questioning, the real challenges lie on the business and entrepreneurial side. We need to secure enough projects to maintain financial stability. Since there are so many talented graphic designers in France, we often find ourselves in tough competitive situations, and cultural sector budgets can be tight. Running a studio like ours is a daily struggle.

What’s the best thing about running a studio?

We started young, with little experience in other companies. What we’ve built is, above all, freedom—freedom to shape our business direction, manage our time, and most importantly, create without constraints.

Who would you love to collaborate with, or have as a client?

We’d love to work in the art world—a partnership with a contemporary art gallery or museum would be amazing. We’re also eager to collaborate with a theater and design a season’s visual identity over several years. Another dream would be to design more books, as we haven’t had many opportunities in that area. Or even collaborate with a fashion brand. There’s still so much we want to do!

When was the last time you said ‘no’ to a new client or project and why?

We decline projects for budgetary reasons or when we feel the selection process for graphic designers lacks ethics. Our profession is often undervalued, and as image creators, we need to stand our ground.

What’s your recruitment strategy? How do you decide who to employ?

We don’t hire. We like the small size of our studio. We work as artisans—doing our best with limited resources in an almost family-like setting. Occasionally, we collaborate with interns or freelancers specializing in complementary fields like motion design or web design.

What's the best advice you can give about working with clients?

Usually, the people we work with have chosen us, so we assume they’ll immediately love what we create. But that’s not always the case. Over time, we’ve learned to explain our ideas, guide clients smoothly toward a concept, and convince them that our graphic solutions align with their brief. More specifically, we believe in delivering one strong and cohesive solution, rather than flooding clients with 15 logo options and 5 different color palettes. The key is to listen, communicate, and stand by your vision—finding the right balance between flexibility and confidence.

Where would you like to see the studio in 5 years?

We don’t have grand ambitions. We just want to keep working as we do now—on a human scale, with great projects that allow us to explore graphic design. It’s an endless field of possibilities.

Thank you Appelle moi Papa!