In a world where branding is increasingly trend-driven and saturated, The Born ID stands apart. Based in New York and Madrid, the creative studio is redefining what it means to build a brand with intention. Founded by cousins and creative partners Greta and Lara, the studio has carved out a distinct space — one rooted in storytelling, clarity, and timeless design.
We sat down with co-founder Lara Born Pereda to talk about the studio’s origins, creative philosophy, and how they’re navigating the evolving landscape of design.
Tell us about The Born ID: why was it founded and what’s in its DNA?
Lara: The Born ID was founded by Greta and me — we’re cousins, but really more like sisters. We’ve always shared a deep passion for design and visual culture, just expressed in different ways. Greta comes from an architecture background, and I started out in photography and fashion design. I think that combination naturally shaped how we see things and led us to build a more holistic approach to branding.
At THE BORN ID, we look at brands through a storytelling lens — that’s our main differentiator. We believe brands should be built with a 360-degree perspective, considering every touchpoint that shapes the experience: from the moment someone first sees an Instagram ad, to visiting the brand’s website, making the purchase, to the moment someone receives a product or enters a space. For us, everything is an experience, and consistency across all of it is key. Design lives in the details, and that’s where we place our focus.
Our international background has shaped how we work. We both grew up in Argentina, then Greta moved to London and I moved to Milan. A few years later, I joined her in London, where THE BORN ID began to take shape. Before becoming a studio, it started as an Instagram platform where we shared inspiration, events we had hosted, and explored our way of seeing the world through design.
The studio officially launched in April 2020, in the middle of COVID. when brands were being pushed to rethink their digital presence almost overnight. That context shaped our early work and reinforced the importance of thoughtful, experience-driven branding.
Our journey so far has been a rollercoaster of exciting projects. We’re incredibly grateful for how far we’ve come — and even more excited about what’s ahead.
What philosophies guide The Born ID when choosing projects or clients? What kinds of brands do you feel “fit” your studio’s identity the most, and why?
Lara: We’re drawn to clients who genuinely value storytelling and understand the importance of consistency across every touchpoint. For us, a brand identity is only successful if it’s well implemented in the real world.
That’s why we love working closely with our clients — not just defining a strong brand positioning, but carrying it through everything, from social media to websites, packaging, and beyond.
We feel most aligned with brands that want to build something thoughtful, cohesive, and long-lasting — rather than something that just looks good on paper.
What’s different about building brands today compared to when you started?
Lara: Domains are all taken! Well jokes aside, the space is definitely more saturated than when we started. It can feel like many brands are following the same visual trends — the same fonts and the same ‘fun’ elements.
For us, the challenge is cutting through that and creating something that truly stands out and feels authentic. There’s always a way, it just requires more intention now.
What inputs matter most in a project’s early discovery / brand strategy phase (and what’s overrated)?
Lara: Before thinking about colors, fonts, or concepts, you need to understand why a brand exists, what it stands for, and the emotional truth it carries — not just what it sells. This is the foundation of storytelling and everything that comes after. A brand without a clear purpose lacks direction.
Knowing who your competitors are is important, but overanalyzing them rarely leads to great or original ideas. It often just pushes brands to copy what already exists. We see competitor research as helpful context, not something that should drive the strategy.
What do you think brands should be paying more attention to in 2026?
Lara: Brands need to focus more on meaning and trust, not noise. We’re entering a post-hype era where audiences are more selective, more skeptical, and more emotionally driven. Brands that clearly know who they are, why they exist, and how they add real value, and can communicate that in an honest, human way — will stand out. It’s less about shouting for attention and more about creating genuine connection, familiarity, and belonging.
What role, if any, does AI play in your creative and strategy process?
Lara: We see AI as a powerful tool, but not a replacement for creativity. We use it to support parts of our process such as research, early thinking, organizing information, and exploring directions more efficiently. That said, at The Born ID we’re very intentional about keeping the core of our work manual and human. We genuinely enjoy the creative process — the thinking, designing, refining — and we believe there’s an added value in that hands-on approach that AI can’t replicate.
What does brand differentiation look like today? How do you know when a brand has found the right “through line”?
Lara: Today, brand differentiation is less about being loud and more about being clear. The strongest brands have a clear point of view and express it consistently across everything they do.
You know a brand has found the right through line when everything starts to click, decisions become easier, the story feels cohesive, and the brand becomes instantly recognizable without having to explain itself.
How does The Born ID measure “success” for brand projects where KPIs aren’t always easily measurable or noticed?
Lara: It may sound cliché, but for us success really comes down to client happiness. We want clients to truly love their brand — it’s their new baby — and feel proud and confident using it.
Beyond that, we look at ease of use and real implementation: how naturally the brand shows up across their day-to-day touch points. When a brand feels intuitive, flexible, and actually gets used the way it was intended, that’s when we know the work has been successful.
How has Breef played a role in helping your agency connect with brands?
Lara: Breef has played a meaningful role in our growth. Many of the projects we’ve connected through Breef have been some of the most interesting, creative, and fun to work on — brands that value strategy, storytelling, and thoughtful design.
Do you have a favorite Breef project?
Lara: The projects we’ve gotten through Breef have been amazing. One of Greta’s favorites was J. Romaine Interior Design, a New York–based interior designer. It was especially exciting to work with her because she’s such a creative person. Bringing two creative teams together made the collaboration really dynamic, and the final output incredibly interesting.
For me, if I had to choose, one of my favorites would be the FNA Group. They’re a fashion consulting firm, and since most of our portfolio focuses on brands or products, working with a service-based business was a refreshing and interesting change.
A final word on what makes strong branding today:
For Lara, it all comes back to intention and care. “Designing something that feels human and unique is about understanding what the client wants and what the brand is targeting. That filtering — that honesty — is what makes the work meaningful.”
It’s this philosophy that continues to define The Born ID: thoughtful storytelling, meticulous detail and brands built to last — not just trend.
As the design world continues to evolve, The Born ID remains grounded in its core philosophy: thoughtful, story-driven branding that prioritizes meaning over noise. In a landscape shaped by speed, trends, and automation, their approach is a reminder that the most impactful brands aren’t the loudest — they’re the most intentional.
