About

Saana Hellsten, an award-winning freelance Creative Director based in London, brings a passionate dedication to meaningful design to every project she undertakes. With a rich background honed in acclaimed studios, Saana specializes in creative direction, branding, art direction, and packaging design for a diverse array of global clients spanning various industries. Her passion lies in collaborating with passionate change-makers committed to making a positive impact, striving to craft work that not only enriches people’s lives but also contributes to a more meaningful and responsible world. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach marked by meticulous attention to detail and bold simplicity, Saana works closely with her clients to capture their essence and deliver visually compelling, concept-driven solutions that challenge conventions while remaining true to the core values of the brands she serves.

In addition to her commercial work, Saana has a passion for photography, ceramics, and going on adventures around the world. She draws inspiration from exploring and understanding other cultures. Besides living in Finland and London, she has also resided in New York, Berlin, and Italy, which has given her adaptability and the ability to step outside her comfort zone. Saana studied packaging design at the Lahti Institute of Design, where she received the Innovation of the Year Diploma for her thesis. She then pursued her master's degree at Pratt Institute in NYC, graduating with distinction. Her thesis, Basik, received awards and recognition in various international publications.


CONTACT

For project and collaboration inquiries and additional details, feel free to reach out at saana@hellsten.co

SERVICES

Brand Strategy & Identity
Art Direction & Set Design
Print design
Packaging Design
Digital Design
Illustration
Product Design
Photography

SELECTED  CLIENTS AND COLLABORATORS

Collins NYC, Mother Design, Space Doctors, Code & Theory, Pearlfisher, Stockmann, Nutrafol, Moet & Hennesy, Berghaus, Cora, Studio Puisto

SELECTED AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Shortlisted
The Dieline Awards
2023

Grant Jury Member
Grafia – Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland
2021

Project Grant
Grafia – Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland
2021

Visiting Lecturer for The Annual Review
Pratt Institute / Grad Communication Design
2020

Project Grant
Taike - The Arts Promotion Centre Finland
2020

Jury Member
ADC The Young Ones Awards
2018

Jury Member
Vuoden Huiput
2018

Silver
94th ADC Awards
2015

Art of Packaging Merit Award
Marc Rosen Scholarship
2015

Silver
A’ Design Award
2015

Award of Pratt Circle
2015

2nd Place
The Wall Street Journal’s 125th Anniversary competition
2015

Project Grant for Design
National Council for Architecture and Design
2012

Innovation of the Year 2011
Lahden Liikemiesyhdistys r.y.

SELECTED PRINT PRESS & EXHIBITIONS

"Die sind für alle da" interview
Brigitte Magazine
2022

"Erst Das Auge, dann die Nase" interview
Barbara Magazine
2022

Interview & study cases
Interdisciplinary Thinking for Schools: Ethical Dilemmas by Dr. Meredith Harbord and Sara Khan, John Catt Educational Ltd.
2020

Not my thing – Gender in Design
Exhibition at the HfG Archive (Archive of the Ulm School of Design)
2018

Issue 11/2016, Cosmétiques d'un autre genre, Le Temps Beauté
Le Temps
2016

Creative Packaging Structures
Sendpoints Publishing Co.
2016

Special Edition
Viction:ary Publishing Co.
2015

v22n2
IdN Magazine
2015

Less is more – Graphic design
Sendpoints Publishing Co.
2013

Packaging Design
Chris van Uffelen, Braun Publishing AG
2013