April 10, 2026

Dora Drimalas – Curiosity in All Things, Object Quality, and Working for Nike – Ep46 – Ep46

58 minutes

Dora is the Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of Hybrid Design in San Francisco, and the Co-Founder of Super7. Over the past 25 years, her studio has worked with some of the most recognizable brands on the planet, including Nike, Apple, Google, YouTube, LEGO, Amazon, TED Conference, The North Face, and many more. Interesting, it all almost didn't happen because she originally chose to study film instead of design at The University of North Texas. Luckily, she met her husband Brian, was exposed to the world of graphic design, and switched her major. I'm glad she did, or else I wouldn't be holding a copy of her studio's monograph, Hybrid: Curiosity in All Things. It's an absolutely beautiful book, filled with amazing work, insights, behind-the-scenes content, and the purpose and inspiration behind everything they do. It's so packed with thoughtful material that it made the interview prep MORE difficult, not easier, because there's SO much amazing work to discuss.

Dora has many influences, like Charles and Ray Eames, punk rock, Swiss design, Star Wars, and so much more. Hell, she even listens to Slayer while driving her kids to school, lol. However, one of my favorite things about Dora is that her approach to creativity and her work sits at the intersection of design, content, and culture, guided by the belief that curiosity and play are essential tools for solving real business problems.

Tune in for a talk about collecting junk mail, why curiosity is an organizing principle for Hybrid, grid "mathemagic", and why working for Nike in the mid-90s was such a special time in her career. Follow Hybrid Design on IG @hybriddesignsf, and check out more of their work on their website hybrid-design.com, and buy a copy of Hybrid: Curiosity in All Things from viction:ary or your local bookstore.

"All projects change. All projects are fluid. All problems are different. Asking questions is the only way forward." Questions for this interview.

Can you tell us the story about saving all your junk mail before meeting with the CEO of The North Face for the first time?

Can you shed some light on the planning process for The North Face printed catalogs and discuss some of the considerations your team had to make before stepping onto a photoshoot set?

Why is curiosity an organizing principle for Hybrid Design, and how does curiosity show up in your studio and the work you do?

What were Hybrid's internal conversations like about the destructive nature of the perforated pull-tab on the front cover of the Mohawk Maker Quarterly #13?

Do you struggle with feeling like every new thing you make has to be better than the last thing you made? If so, how do you manage those feelings and keep them from becoming a distraction?

Can you explain "Grid Mathemagic" and give us your best PSA for grid systems?

Can you tell us what Object Quality means, and explain why we would do better to think of our print work as object design?

Why was your time at Nike so special, and how did working there during that specific time shape the creative person you've become?

What's the difference between a campaign that simply solves a problem and one that stops us in our tracks?

How can we connect inspiration to our work, and how do we leverage it to strengthen it?

What happens if we loosen our grip and share creativity instead of trying to own it?

Which aspect of the business of design were you awful at 24 years ago, but great at today?

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By Joseph Israel Raul Bullard