Sweden
Post adress
Gärde Design
Eriksbergsgatan 31
Stockholm, Sweden
Request access to our agency.
Work with one of Sweden’s leading boutique design studios.
Gärde Design is a Stockholm-based boutique design studio working with a select group of founders and entrepreneurs who understand that design is not decoration, it is a strategic force capable of shaping markets, culture, and perception.
We help ambitious companies transform complex ideas into clear and scalable brand systems through typography, brand identity, and digital design. Our work focuses on creating brands that earn trust quickly, establish strong positioning, and support long-term growth.
Over time, we have developed a working method specifically designed for founder-led companies. Our programs move efficiently from vision to execution, creating credible and durable brand foundations without unnecessary complexity.
Alongside the studio, GD Foundry, our independent type foundry, allows us to explore design at its most fundamental level, pushing the expressive potential of the letterform itself. It is where our commitment to craft continues – letter by letter, brand by brand.
Because we work closely with every team, we accept only a limited number of collaborations each year.
Request access to work with Gärde Design:
hello@gardedesign.se
Awards & Recognition
Top Ranked Design Agency
Resumé (2025)
Gärde Design Studio was named Sweden's top-ranked design agency by Resumé in 2025, recognizing a year of impactful branding projects and the launch of GD Foundry.
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First Prize – Resumé Design of the Month
Resumé, Septemper 2025
The visual identity for Yllw was awarded First Prize in Resumé's Design of the Month, recognizing its clear strategic direction and distinctive design system.
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Second Prize – Resumé Design of the Month
Resumé, December 2025
GD Foundry received Second Prize in Resumé's Design of the Month, recognizing our approach to simplifying typography licensing and building a focused platform for type design.
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Keynote Speaker (Gärde)
Svensk Form Conference (2024)
Cap & Design Live (2023)
CXI Conference Germany (2017)
Pure North Kiel (2016)
Previous Assignments
Re-branding and of Scandinavian Airlines (Bold, 2014-2017)
Re-branding of Europe´s third largest bank Nordea (Bold, 2015–2017)
Re-branding of Sandvik Processing System to IPCO (Bold, 2017)
Awards & Recognition
We’ve been honored over the years for work that bridges precision and expression.
2025
Brand New (Yllw)
Brand New (Uniplay)
Resumé, Winner Design of the Month (Yllw)
2018
Cresta Awards Finalist (Nordea)
2017
DAM Architectural Book Award
Utvald Svensk Bokkonst (Swedish Book Awards)
2016
100-Watt Gold (Scandinavian Airlines)
2015
Guldägget, Bronze.
2013
Marcus Gärde recognized as one of the 100 Best Contemporary Graphic Designers in the World (Selected by Goodman Fiell)
2011
Utvald Svensk Bokkonst (Swedish Book Awards)
Kolla! 2 Gold Awards & 2 Nominations.
Guldägget, Bronze.
2008
Kolla! Gold Award.
Guldägget, Bronze.
European Design Awards
Publications
Megalithic Temples of Malta (2013)
Typografins väg (the way of typography) Vol. 1 & 2 (2007, 2010)
Typografins väg Special Edition (2010)
Team
Marcus Gärde
Founder & Creative Director
Marcus Gärde is a graphic designer, author, and creative director with more than two decades of experience building typography-led brand systems for ambitious companies across the Nordics. His work sits at the intersection of craft, creativity, and strategic branding — where design becomes a structural force in how organizations communicate, grow, and compete.
After serving as Creative Director at Bold Scandinavia, Marcus co-founded Gärde Design in 2021 together with serial entrepreneur Oliver Hildebrandt (0TO9, Gilion). The studio works closely with founder-led companies to create scalable brand systems that perform seamlessly across digital and physical environments.
Typography remains central to this philosophy. Through GD Foundry, the studio’s independent type foundry, Marcus continues to explore how type design can function as a strategic asset and a key element of brand differentiation.
Marcus is the author of two books on typography and previously served as Associate Professor in Typography at Beckmans School of Design. He has taught at leading Swedish design institutions and received international recognition including Guldägget, the European Design Awards, and Utvald Svensk Bokkonst.
Oliver Hildebrandt
Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board
Christoffer Granström
Design Director
Anette Hildebrandt
COO & Account Director
Paola Alonso Chapel
Senior Designer
Jonas Holm
Senior Designer
Lova Duvnäs
Junior Designer
Andreas Ullenius
Brand Strategist
Anders Wikström
Type Designer
Management
Marcus Gärde
Founder & Creative Director
Oliver Hildebrandt
Co-Founder / Head of Board
Erik Thulin
Co-Founder / Board Member
Niklas Nyström
Head of Investments
Capabilities
Art Direction & Photography
Brand Activation
Brand Design
Brand Strategy
Data Experience
Digital Experience
Motion Identity
Product Development
Typeface Development
UI/UX
Website Development
Solutions
Gärde Design helps ambitious companies define their brand, communicate clearly, and scale with consistency. Working at the intersection of brand, typography, and digital products, we create identity systems that are strategic, functional, and built to perform across platforms from day one. From strategy and visual identity to implementation and long-term brand stewardship, our work ensures clarity, durability, and real-world usability as companies grow.
Visual Identity & Brand Strategy
Our visual identity work typically includes:
– Brand idea and conceptual framework
– Logotype and symbol design
– Colour System (WCAG-aligned)
– Typography systems (Including licensed typefaces from GD Foundry where relevant)
– Iconography and core graphic elements
– Image direction and visual tonality
– Application sketches and key use-case demonstrations
– Finalisation of core brand assets and documentation
Applications & Implementation
We design and implement brands where they matter most – ensuring consistency, accessibility, and clarity across all touchpoints.
Web & Digital
– Website design and development
– Design systems for web and product environments
– Accessibility-compliant interfaces (WCAG-aligned)
Presentations & Sales
– Presentation templates (PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides)
– Investor and pitch decks, strategic, narrative-driven, and animated where relevant
– Sales and internal communication materials
Product & Platform
– Product design (UX/UI)
– Digital product interfaces and dashboards
– Design support for SaaS and platform-based products
Brand in Use
– Social media templates and launch kits
– Campaign assets for initial and ongoing communication
– Employer branding and recruitment materials
Typography & Brand Infrastructure
Typography is a core part of our practice. Through GD Foundry, we design, license, and implement type systems that strengthen brand identity and improve real-world usability.
This includes:
– Custom or modified typefaces (where applicable)
– Typographic systems and usage guidelines
– Asset libraries and structured handovers for long-term use
Industries
Architecture
Art & Culture
Consulting
Design-Driven Brands
Entrepreneurs & Startups
FashionFinance
Sports & Lifestyle
Sustainability
Technology & Innovation
Clients
0TO9
Ascaro
Billo
Flow & Partners
Fuels
Gilion
Jay Solutions
Katalysen
Lyko
Maurten
Nicoya
NordKronan
Novum
Onefin
Plus 1
Sequence Ventures
Uniplay
WeSport
Yllw
Zeal