Who we are

An independent
agency built on
conviction.

We believe that a great brand is the result of disciplined thinking, not decoration. Everything we do starts with strategy and ends with systems that work.

Our story

Thirteen years
of building brands
that matter.

Lemley Design was founded in London in 2011 with a single conviction: that great brands are built on great strategy, not great taste. Taste follows strategy. If the thinking is right, the work is right.

Over the past thirteen years we have worked with start-ups launching into competitive categories and established businesses repositioning for a new era. Our clients span financial services, property, professional services, consumer goods and technology.

We remain deliberately small. We take on a limited number of projects each quarter. This is not a constraint — it is a choice. It means every client receives our full attention, every project benefits from our best thinking, and every brand we build is one we are proud to have our name on.

180+
Brand projects
13
Years of practice
18
Industry awards
What we believe

The principles that
guide our work.

01

Strategy first, always

We do not begin designing until we have understood your market, your audience and your ambition. A brand that looks good but stands for nothing is a missed opportunity.

02

Honesty over flattery

We will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Our job is to give you the best possible brand, and that requires candour.

03

Systems, not one-offs

A logo is not a brand. We build systems — coherent, scalable and flexible — that work across every context your brand appears in.

04

Small by design

We limit our client roster deliberately. Fewer projects means more attention, better thinking and stronger outcomes. Quality over volume, every time.

05

Long-term thinking

Brands are not short-term assets. We design for durability — brands that feel right today and still feel right in ten years.

The team

The people behind
the thinking.

James Lemley
Founder & Strategy Director
Helena Rutherford
Creative Director
Tom Whitfield
Senior Brand Designer
Amara Keleher
Brand Strategist
Peter Drummond
Design & Production
Claire Forsyth
Client Services
Work with us

Let's build something
worth building.