ELLIE KESTNER





ellie.kestner@gmail.com
Instagram
My Diary

Ellie is a detail oriented and empathetic designer / person. Across her varied experience, she’s found joy in using design as a tool for connection and play. With a knack for layout and typography, she uses her work to tell unexpected yet thoughtful stories. 

CV




Education
2016-2020
BFA Graphic Design
Minor Retail Merchandising
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN



Employment 2026-Current
Studio & Operations Manager @ California Dirt

2024-Current
Freelance Brand & Digital Designer

2024-2026
Creative Partner @ The Makers Table

2020-2024
Lead Product Designer @ Sezzle


ExpertiseBrand Identity
Art Direction
Web Design
Packaging Design
Digital Design
UX/UI
Design Systems
Creative Strategy
Visual Storytelling
Print Collateral
Customer Experience
Shopify
Figma
Adobe Creative Suite






Last Updated 12.10.25
SELECTED WORKS




1. GROUNDED
Printed materials for a wellness focused dinner in collaboration with Lululemon. Designed to reflect the evening’s focus on presence and connection, the menus, place cards, and conversation cards used tactile details to root guests in the experience. Photo credit: PJ Agbay










2. GÜSE JEWELRY STUDIOPrinted postcard design for Güse Jewelry Studio, shipped with each order as a physical extension of the brand’s nature-inspired ethos.








3. A PRACTICE IN SHARED CREATION
Zine design and creative direction for A Practice in Shared Creation, a collaborative project uniting a designer (me), florist, ceramicist, and jeweler. The zine explores how contrasting mediums—metal, clay, and florals—can coexist in balance. What began as an experiment among friends evolved into a celebration of shared creativity and collective expression. 









4. MIXED UP
 Interactive design for Mixed Up, a cocktail-focused experience where teams of mixologists, artists, and culinary contributors collaborated to create multisensory pairings. Guests scanned QR codes frozen into ice cubes to access playful, interactive recipe experiences that extended the event beyond the table. Photo credit: PJ Agbay










5. IN HARMONY
Menu design for In-Harmony, a dinner exploring the intersection of food and music. Designed to evoke the look and feel of vintage vinyl, the menus mirrored the evening’s concept: pairing mashups from local musicians with dishes inspired by rhythm, texture, and tone. Photo credit: PJ Agbay







6. LOS ANGELES HOT TUB RENTALS
Brand and merchandise design for Los Angeles Hot Tub Rentals, an on-demand hot tub rental service accomodating the greater LA area. Inspired by retro summer culture, the identity evokes a playful and nostalgic energy, reminisicent of the care-free summer days we all long for. Buy the merch here.








7. SPACE MAKERS
 Printed collateral and interactive design for Space Makers, a dinner exploring the idea of creating space, both in community and in practice. Guests contributed to the experience through pasta preference cards and a collective take-home zine, translating shared reflections into a tactile, memorable keepsake. Photo credit: PJ Agbay











LOVE IS EVERYTHING.