Front and Center Unbothered: with Natasha Jen
Oct 29, 2025
Natasha Jen, an award-winning designer and partner at Pentagram, talks about her innovative approach to design and her experience at Pentagram. She shares insights on the unique dynamics among partners and the importance of collaboration in their creative process. Natasha delves into Pentagram’s socialist-style profit-sharing model and how their project assignments work. She also critiques the current hype around generative AI in design, emphasizing the need for intuition over technology, and reflects on her love for cooking and cinema.
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Van Leeuwen Packaging That Lasted
- Natasha describes the Van Leeuwen packaging project completed around 2015 and its surprising longevity.
- She recalls simplifying heavy typography into a durable, democratic brand that still appears in stores a decade later.
Present Directions, Not Transactions
- Natasha explains she presents multiple design directions to clients rather than a single pitch.
- She frames options as directions that can be hybridized, not merely transactional choices.
Small Teams Enable Strong Work
- Pentagram intentionally keeps partner teams small (5–16 people) to curate close working relationships.
- Natasha argues smallness enables better collaboration and creative intimacy across projects.