Meri Kirihimete
As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to pause, rewind, and send our warmest wishes to each one of you. 2025 has been a wild ride, full of creative sparks, community moments, and new beginnings. And if you want to look back on everything we achieved together, you’ll find our year-in-review wrap waiting for you at the end of this article.
The DA team is heading off for a well-earned summer break. We will be away from 19 December to 19 January, recharging, sun-soaking, and getting ready for another year of creativity with our community.
Thank you to all our Friends who have made 2025 a great year. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights, and a raised toast to what’s coming next year:
- Watch: Creative Journeys: Design Academy, ‘Transform your business: Achieving More with Squarespace’
- Read: In Motion With…Jade Paynter
- Listen: DA Conversations
- Love: Five Min With.. Our Amazing Friends at Design Assembly
Design Assembly HQ will reopen on the 5th of January and we have some awesome workshops and events coming up in 2026, including:
- 4 Feb: The DA Coffee Club – February ( Members only )
- 18 Feb: Design Assembly Join the Dots – February ( Online – Members only )
- 18 March: Under The Hood: Women in Design ( Online – Members FREE / Non-Members: $20 )
Since we had a lot of amazing graduates send in their work, we started early with our Hot New Things Series, and will continue in the new year!
Want to stay ahead of everything happening at Design Assembly in 2026?
Become a DA member and enjoy first access to new content, events, and industry insights, plus member-only perks, discounts, and the occasional freebie. We have membership options for everyone, from students finding their footing to studios supporting their whole team.
(And yes, a DA membership also makes an excellent Christmas gift for the designer in your life.)
Meri Kirihimete
*Special thanks to Kannon Hen for designing this year’s holiday card, you can find her portfolio here.
That’s A Wrap!
After a year filled with creativity, collaboration, and community, we’re taking a moment to celebrate everything that shaped the DA whānau in 2025. From Fresh From The Field projects to new members joining our creative whānau, from events that brought us together to the conversations that sparked online, it’s been a year of connection and growth. Alongside our best‑performing social content and heartfelt love notes, we’ve gathered the highlights that show how design in Aotearoa continues to thrive. Here’s a look back at what we achieved together.
Fresh From The Field – 28 projects shared, showcasing the most creative brains of NZ design.
New Friends – Welcoming 179 amazing new voices into our community.
Events – 26 events hosted, connecting designers across Aotearoa that created inspiration in all of who attended.
5 Minutes With… – 20 interviews spotlighted the people shaping our design culture.
Love Notes – Community feedback reminded us why DA matters.
The Bests of our Socials
