Isabel Moranta is an award-winning Creative and Design Director known for her conceptually rich and visually striking work. Based in Canada, she has served as Art Director at Locomotive and Design Director at Monks, shaping digital experiences and defining brand identities with innovation at their core.
Now working independently as a Design Director, Isabel collaborates with leading agencies and brands such as Balmain, Ecco, Nike, Apple Music, Toyota, Estée Lauder, Amazon, Munchkin, Impossible Foods, Instrument, Publicis, Nordstrom, Resn, and Active Theory.
Her creative practice spans editorial design, typography experiments, visual storytelling, and branding. Driven by a passion for pushing design beyond traditional boundaries, Isabel weaves art, literature, language, and digital media into her thoughtful compositions.
With a refined aesthetic sensibility and multidisciplinary approach, let’s now join Isabel as she walks us through her most compelling projects and creative process.
Featured Work
Portfolio 2024
For this portfolio, I embraced a bolder, riskier art direction while preserving the essence of my previous site, which still holds meaning for me.
Collaborating with Yannis Yannakopoulos, we drew inspiration from post-rock music and literature. Bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion guided the aesthetics, with visual cues echoing their haunting, expansive tones. I also infused elements from literature—my academic background is in English Studies, so I wanted that to be represented. A quote from Virginia Woolf features prominently, symbolizing my love for words. Of course, no portfolio can capture everything you love, but I wanted this one to feel both professional and deeply personal—a place that doesn’t just showcase my work but feels like my own.
At its core, this portfolio is a tribute to my love of typography. A bold serif commands attention, set against a minimal, sometimes fragmented monospaced typeface—an intentional contrast that creates tension. This duality runs throughout the site: exposure and concealment. The blur effect, obscuring both my work and my image on the About page, mirrors this balance—a way of keeping part of myself just out of focus while embracing the joy of being seen within the design community.
The paradox continues with typography—the assertiveness of uppercase bold serifs clashing against the understated, fragmented monospaced letters. The underground obscurity of post-rock finds a poetic counterpoint in literature. This portfolio is, in many ways, a creative exploration of those contradictions.
Blimp
The Blimp is a dynamic music catalog showcasing the latest releases, interviews, videos, and more. Originally conceived by Yannis Yannakopoulos a decade ago, the site recently underwent a fresh redesign—just for the fun of it—by both Yannis and me. When he invited me to collaborate on his personal project, I couldn’t have been more excited. The Blimp evolved into a digital space that feels like a love letter to music and design, infused with the raw, atmospheric energy of the post-rock bands we both admire. The result is a perfect harmony of vibrant momentum and moody, immersive aesthetics—like a visual soundtrack of the music we both like brought to life.
One standout feature of this project is the intro preloader, which cycles through a rotating selection of album covers for an engaging first impression. Another playful touch is the red scribble mouse effect, which feels spontaneous and dynamic with every interaction. The Blimp was designed to be more than just a music site—it’s a space where visitors can visually and emotionally immerse themselves in the world of sound.
Toyota
I was invited to be part of this project by the incredibly talented Champ Panupong Techawongthawon, owner of Please Call Me Champ Studio Inc.
Titled Beyond Limits, the video is a celebration of the strength, resilience, and undeniable coolness of Paralympic athletes. With a bold, dynamic color palette, it brings their awe-inspiring achievements to life, capturing their indomitable spirit. Through striking visuals and compelling storytelling, the piece challenges preconceived notions about ability, redefining what it means to push boundaries. More than just a tribute, it’s a reminder of the limitless potential of the human spirit when fueled by determination and courage. It was an amazing project to be part of, and I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Toyota as a client.
Balmain
While at Monks, I had the opportunity to lead the Balmain Beauty project—an e-commerce platform designed to seamlessly translate the brand’s haute couture essence into the digital space. From concept to execution, every detail was meticulously crafted to reflect the luxurious and refined world of Balmain Beauty, delivering an immersive shopping experience that embodies elegance and sophistication.
Thanks to the collaboration between Balmain Beauty and Monks, we created a striking digital home for their new beauty line, staying true to the design language of their iconic fashion brand. Working closely with the exceptionally talented teams at Monks, Balmain, and Estée Lauder, we built a platform that brings Balmain’s visionary aesthetic to life—sharing their beauty products with the world in a way that feels just as bold and luxurious as the brand itself.
Concepts and Explorations
Beyond the projects I work on, I also love creating concepts and explorations. These explorations help me step away from client work, allowing me to disconnect and find a sense of calm and joy. There are no briefs, no deadlines—just me, my time, and my eagerness to create. I believe this kind of creative exercise is something more people should try. Creating purely for the sake of it, sharing without fear of judgment, and enjoying the process without pressure—there’s something freeing about that.
Brief Biography and Career Highlights
My career started in the world of language and the arts, rooted in a background in English Studies and North American literature. Over time, my passion for creativity and communication led me to shift into design, where I now try to bring a mix of perspectives from my earlier experiences.
That foundation in language and literary studies shaped how I approach design—it taught me to think critically while crafting compelling visual narratives. As for what I enjoy, I’m drawn to the beauty of editorial design and print, where storytelling meets visual elegance. Typography, in particular, fascinates me—its ability to convey emotion, structure, and meaning never gets old.Â
In many ways, my past still informs my work. It’s not about leaving behind who I was before design but carrying those influences forward, letting them evolve. I’m grateful to have found a profession that not only brings me joy but also allows me to explore the same creative territories I once loved, now through a different lens.
Inspiration
I find inspiration in the things that bring me joy or stir something in me—it might sound cliché, but it’s true. Film is just as important to me as design, maybe even more. Whether it’s a movie that moves me or leaves me unsettled, stories are what fuel my creativity.
I’m also deeply inspired by music, art, and everything I encounter in daily life. And of course the design community and the incredible work they put out constantly push me to explore new ideas and refine my skills.
But at the core of it all, inspiration comes from within. It’s not just about what we consume, but how we absorb it. True creativity comes from learning to close our eyes, engage all our senses, and see from within—because that’s where emotion is found.
A Message to Readers
Rather than learning countless skills, commit to mastering the one that truly excites you. Concentrate on what you like the most and enjoy the process to understand that skill; nobody needs to be good at everything. Enjoy the process of deepening your expertise, because great things often come from a bit of obsession. Be intentional about where you invest your energy.
Please feel free to reach out—I genuinely appreciate it when people start a conversation on Instagram or LinkedIn.