London-based and Liverpool-born graphic designer and illustrator Helen Rabitte AKA Hello Rabbit has a portfolio that is particularly musical. Her clientele list covers a more independent terrain, ranging from Peggy Gou to Alaina Castillo, and personal projects with Death Row Records and Lauryn Hill. Helen’s interest in graphic design was first piqued by the sense of direction, “finding a solution to a problem,” she tells us. But overall, it’s a sense of fun that Helen keeps in her work to make sure it always aligns with the vibrant energy and sonic qualities of the musical clients she works with. “I like my work to have a sense of vibrancy and fun, with a heavy hit of nostalgia,” Helen says of how she captures her aesthetic with that of the briefs she receives. “I then like to combine it with a really modern typeface or arrangement,” she explains. Often, loud colours and complementary dynamic font choices are the standards to reiterate the contemporary nature of her client’s work. But, it’s important Helen keeps things from being too polished. “I also like my designs to have a bit of a raw, handmade finish, so I add a lot of textural overlays,” she says. “I don’t like anything to look too polished.”
It’s tempting, with such specific clientele and a particular vision in music, to become complacent in the graphics that accompany it. Helen tries to stay fresh with her ideas. “I try not to get too stuck in my ways,” she says. “Creating work in a really strict style can become tiring very quickly, so I’m always up for trying out new mediums, and constantly thinking of new ways to approach a project.” Perhaps that’s why Helen’s work was striking to us, as it contains a certain level of edge and grit that keeps it from being homogenised. “I always try to create a world around the artist and ensure everything I design is unique to them and their vision.”