Ali Martín Filsoof

Ali Martín Filsoof was born in historic Tehran, Iran, spent his formative years in the artful Barranco District of Lima, Peru, and eventually moved to the US where he studied graphic design at SDSU.

With a deep understanding of graphic design fundamentals, Ali has created award-winning, disruptive work across diverse sectors, including sports (FanDuel), music (Seicento Baroque Ensemble), art installations (Kai nu’u o Kanaloa), and floral (Fauxliage). Inspired by Japanese and Swiss design, Design Dept’s minimalist aesthetic creates brands that cut through the clutter by emphasizing core messages and cultural relevance. They leverage the power of negative space and the art of subtraction, guided by Josef Müller-Brockmann’s grid systems, to ensure purposeful, meaningful decisions executed with simplicity and structure. The name “Design Dept” reflects Ali’s vision of the studio as an extension of any company or brand, acting as their bespoke design department.

Before founding Design Dept, Ali served as Design Director at Phenomenon, responsible for overseeing all brand design work for renowned clients including Amex, Virgin Galactic, Marriott, P&G Ventures, and DVH. Filsoof’s work has received international recognition from prestigious organizations such as AIGA, Dieline Awards, Art Directors Club, Art Directors Club of Europe, One Show, Clio Awards, Graphis, Communication Arts, and Pent Awards, and has been featured in publications including Taschen and Rockport Publishers. He has been a member of the AIGA since university and has sat on the Board of Directors for AIGA Los Angeles. Recently, he was added to the esteemed international jury for the Dieline Design Awards.