When we interviewed graphic designer and studio head Michael Freimuth for the Creative Boom Podcast back in 2021, collaboration and play were at the heart of everything he discussed. Now, the co-founder and executive creative director of award-winning Brooklyn studio Franklyn is putting those values to work in a new way.
Franklyn, which has worked with everyone from WeWork and Sotheby’s to emerging startups, is winding down. Now, Michael is building a new studio, which he describes as lighter, weirder, and more intentionally focused on the intersection of cultural and commercial work.
The new venture is called Rudy and it represents both a continuation and a radical departure for Michael.
“It’s a big, weird world out there, and the new studio, Rudy, will let me do what I love: hands-on, experimental, collaborative design for brands doing work that matters,” Michael explains. “Starting something new feels both necessary and, admittedly, slightly terrifying, but it’s a chance to re-evaluate what kind of creative partner brands really need today, and to build a studio model that supports that.”
Why wind down Franklyn?
For anyone who’s built something from nothing, the decision to wind down a successful studio might seem counterintuitive… especially in this economy. But for Michael, the timing felt right precisely because Franklyn had been so meaningful.
“First and foremost, I should say, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life was building my previous studio, Franklyn,” he says. “It’s winding down after nearly 15 years, which is still kind of surreal to say. It was a really special chapter, we built something from nothing, worked with incredible people, and made a lot of work I’m still proud of.”
Work for The Public
Work for Marz Brewing
Work for Fall of Freedom, a political rallying event
The decision was made jointly with his business partner, who is starting his own studio, reflecting a mutual understanding that the time was right to explore new directions. “You don’t build something that long without it leaving a mark on you,” Michael reflects. “I’ll always be proud of what we made together and of the people who helped shape it along the way.”
New approach
Michael is keen to stress that his new studio is a complete rethinking of how he wants to work. Rudy is designed around a philosophy that prioritises sustainability, experimentation and meaningful relationships over pure efficiency.
“I want Rudy to feel lighter… in energy, in process, in how we show up,” he says. “The studio’s intentionally small and hands-on. We want the work to be rewarding, not just beautifully designed.”
The client roster already reflects this cultural-commercial hybrid approach: galleries, footwear brands, fintechs, breweries, CPG companies, arts organisations, media and hospitality clients. “One is a Fortune 50 company and the next is a two-person furniture business based in the Hudson Valley,” Michael notes. “It’s a great mix of cultural and commercial clients, truly.”
So what unites them? “If there’s a throughline, it’s that they all appreciate the work and process; and we have real shared purpose,” he responds. “We couldn’t ask for better partners as we get this thing going.”
What 15 years taught him
Ask Michael what he’s learned over a decade and a half of running Franklyn, and his answer is refreshingly human. “Design is really about people,” he says. “You can talk about process, taste, craft—and that matters—but the best work always comes from the relationships you build.”
Work for Lost Title
Work for Lost Title
It’s a realisation that might seem obvious, but Michael admits it took time to fully appreciate. “Maybe that’s obvious to everyone else, and I’m just catching up, but it’s true. Looking back, the ‘best’ projects weren’t just about the outcome, but about the people we worked with… the trust, the collaboration, the occasional shared insanity of trying to make something new.”
This philosophy extends beyond client relationships to the studio culture itself. Rudy has been set up with reduced hours, plenty of time off, and space for experimentation. “I’ve done the 80-hour weeks in my career, and no one needs that,” Michael says. “We’ve set up Rudy with reduced hours, plenty of time off, and the space to make a mess, play, and hopefully still end up proud of what we make.”
The personal is professional
The studio name itself reflects Michael’s more integrated approach to work and life. Rudy is his grandfather’s name and now his youngest son’s name too. “I kept coming back to it because it just felt right and I didn’t have to overthink it—which, for me, is rare,” he explains.
The choice was deliberate: “I didn’t want another ‘design company’ name that sounded overly polished or self-serious,” he explains. “I wanted something that felt personal, a nice regular reminder that this next chapter is about doing work that is important to me, my life, and the people surrounding it.”
Produced at Franklyn: work for Away
Produced at Franklyn: work for Brooklyn Brewery
Produced at Franklyn: work for Hart
There’s humour here too. His older son, David, now wants something named after him, leading Michael to joke about “launching a toy company exclusively focused on dinosaurs and the colour purple – his two favourite things. Open to investors, by the way.”
Fatherhood has fundamentally shifted his perspective. “Having two small kids now, I’m just in a different place,” he says. “My life feels both fuller and more ridiculous. I still catch myself mid-moment thinking how lucky I am to have this balance—even if I’m usually covered in hard-to-identify food items and purple Play-Doh.”
Looking forward
Professionally, this translates to changed priorities. “I just care more about depth now,” Michael explains. “When I first started, it was all about proving myself, chasing the next thing. I loved that energy, but now I’m more interested in doing fewer things really well, with people I really enjoy.”
It’s early days, and Michael acknowledges the uncertainty ahead. But for now, it feels like a good time to build something new. “Branding and design are obviously changing, I think we all see it,” says Michael. “From where I’ve been sitting, the brands and organisations that’ll be most successful will have a strong creative belief system and a real comfort with experimentation. We’ve always been good at that part, and we tend to have fun doing it—even when it’s messy.”
For a designer who’s always valued play and collaboration, building something new might just be the most honest expression of those values yet.
