From Wrocław to New York City, Polish-born designer Paulina Raczkowska has forged a remarkable global path, one deeply rooted in empathy, cultural awareness, and an unwavering commitment to social impact. Her journey, which began with a solid foundation in interior and stage design at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wroclaw, Poland, continued with further studies in Valencia, Spain, is a testament to her dedication to both artistic excellence and profound human connection.
Following her formal education, Raczkowska relocated to Berlin, Germany, where she honed her creative direction and branding expertise through roles at prominent companies like Viacom, Rocket Internet, SinnerShrader (now Accenture), and Highsnobiety. She also collaborated with major brands such as Henkel, Signal Iduna, CoteetCiel, Beets & Roots, and Match Group. These formative experiences sharpened her visual language and honed her storytelling skills through the medium of design.
Her design philosophy is centered around people: “I design with people in mind, always asking: Who is this for? Whose story is being told? And how can design truly serve them?” she asks. “That level of empathy and intention is something I strive to bring into every project.”
It was her decision to live and work across the globe, in Mexico, Kenya, Brazil, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic, that truly transformed her perspective and redefined her approach to design. Immersed in vastly different cultures for nearly eight years, she witnessed the kaleidoscope of human experiences and the persistent inequalities that divide our world.
This is what makes her stand out as a designer. “What makes my work unique is the fact that I’ve lived and worked in a wide range of places; from Wrocław to Berlin, from Nairobi to Santo Domingo, and now New York,” said Raczkowska. “Each of these places has shaped not only how I design, but why I design. This exposure to different cultures, aesthetics, and ways of thinking has given me a global design practice rooted in cultural fluency and social consciousness.”
Some major career highlights include working for global brands which require big picture thinking. “Early in my career, working with global brands like Viacom, Henkel, Signal Iduna, Match.com, and Highsnobiety taught me how to build clear, scalable design systems within large teams and commercial frameworks,” said Raczkowska. “It was a great training ground for creative leadership and understanding the business side of design.”
These experiences, which have spanned across five continents, have equipped her with the unique ability to design with context, compassion, and a truly global consciousness. Raczkowska’s work increasingly gravitated towards issues of women’s health, safety, and empowerment, a passion that solidified when she moved to New York City.
“Design is a visual language, and language, at its core, is a tool for connection,” said Raczkowska. “Thoughtful design can bridge cultures, reduce barriers, and create shared understanding. I’ve seen firsthand how design can give voice to marginalized stories, simplify complex ideas, and build spaces, physical or digital, that invite people in. In our globalized world, design that is well done and done with intention helps us communicate across differences with clarity and compassion.”
“My style also carries a multicultural lens, influenced by the textures, traditions, and visual languages I’ve encountered while living and working across the world,” said Raczkowska. “It’s a design approach that’s clean and useful, but still emotionally resonant and culturally aware.”
In New York City, Raczkowska found her niche at Ahoy Studios, a women-founded design agency specializing in branding and creative development for non-profit organizations and mission-driven enterprises. Ahoy’s work spans a wide range of global causes, including environmental protection, social justice, peace and security, gender equity, education, and cultural exchange.
At Ahoy, Raczkowska discovered the ideal environment to seamlessly blend her global insights with purpose-driven design, contributing to campaigns and identities that support meaningful change on both local and international scales.
She emphasizes the impact of her current work: “The most meaningful highlight has been my work at Ahoy Studio in New York, where I design purpose-driven campaigns for nonprofits,” said Raczkowska. “The studio’s small size allows for more creative ownership and impact, and I find it far more rewarding to use design as a tool for change — supporting causes like gender equity, climate action, and community empowerment.”
Simultaneously, she began collaborating with Dames New York, a women’s fashion brand based in New York that focuses on mental health, safety, and empowerment. Through photography and creative direction, Raczkowska helped the brand cultivate a visual identity that empowers women to feel safe, beautiful, and strong while wearing Dames New York.
The brand fosters a supportive community through events like meditation sessions and self-defense classes – reinforcing the powerful idea that design can be a vehicle for healing and empowerment. Remarkably, Raczkowska’s collaboration with Dames is built entirely on a volunteer-driven, skill-sharing model; a collective endeavor where creativity and knowledge are exchanged freely, without any financial transactions, fostering a deeply collaborative and purpose-led process.
Looking ahead, Raczkowska is planning to co-found a creative production studio with fashion designer Katlyn O’Malley and a collective of international creatives from cities like Warsaw, Berlin, and the Dominican Republic. This exciting initiative will focus on producing socially responsible content, spotlighting sustainability, women’s rights, and equity within the fashion and media industries. The collective aims to challenge industry norms by embedding respect, inclusivity, and ethical practices into every project.
With a career that spans continents and encompasses a multitude of worthy causes, Paulina Raczkowska continues to demonstrate that design can be a powerful tool for cultural dialogue, social transformation, and global solidarity. Her work is not only visually striking and aesthetically pleasing but also deeply informed by lived experience, guided by core human values, and driven by a clear and unwavering mission: to make the world a more beautiful, equitable, and safe place for everyone.
Raczkowska emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural nuances: “Over time, I’ve learned that what resonates visually in one part of the world might feel completely abstract or disconnected in another. A design approach that feels natural in a New York studio might not translate at all in Nairobi — and even between the U.S. and Europe, there are subtle but important differences. Being aware of those nuances helps me create work that is contextually grounded and respectful of its audience.”
She acknowledges the responsibility that comes with visual storytelling: “I’m also deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with visual storytelling. I actively work to avoid stereotypes, especially those embedded in Western perspectives, particularly when it comes to representing places like Africa.
For example, too often, NGOs and media focus solely on narratives of poverty, overlooking the complexity, beauty, and pride within African cultures. “When we rely too heavily on standard visual frameworks, we risk flattening diverse experiences and seeing the world only through our own lens,” said Raczkowska. “My goal is to design in a way that resists that, to celebrate difference, challenge assumptions, and make space for authenticity.”
Raczkowska defines her design aesthetic with three different principles. “My aesthetic is defined by clarity, restraint, and purpose,” she said. “I approach design as a form of communication, not decoration, so I always prioritize function over form. Every element I use has a reason to be there. The result is a minimal, intuitive style where bold typography meets human-centered visuals, and where the message is never lost in the medium.”
She adds: “Even though my work is visually pared down, it’s rooted in narrative. There’s always a story underneath which is shaped by the audience, the context, and the message I want to convey.“
While Raczkowska started out in interior design and stage design, it clearly prepared her for a career in visual design. “Studying interior and stage design gave me an early understanding of how humans interact with space, light, and atmosphere; how the environment shapes emotion,” said Raczkowska. “Stage design taught me storytelling through physical form; interior design taught me functionality and flow. That background sharpened my spatial thinking and made me deeply attuned to the emotional side of design. It also gave me a natural foundation for branding and creative direction — where the goal is often to create an entire world or identity around an idea.”
Raczkowska’s unwavering dedication to socially responsible design serves as an inspiring example of how creativity, when coupled with empathy and a global perspective, can become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Her work not only connects people but also empowers them, amplifying voices and fostering a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
