From college assignment to global design triumph

KUALA LUMPUR: Meet Humana. If you’ve come across the vibrant illustrations by Malaysian design house Humana Studio, chances are you’ve already met this whimsically dressed character.

Humana is the creative alter-ego of graphic designer and illustrator Vanissa Foo – and a reflection of the 28-year-old’s colourful imagination and playful personality.

The character appears in international brand collaborations, advertising campaigns and large-scale public installations. But Humana’s journey began as something far more modest: a college assignment.

“It started as a simple character based on a human side profile with a pair of pink cheeks. The name ‘Humana’ is also very straightforward,” Foo told FMT Lifestyle.

“In Malaysian slang, we often add ‘ah’ or ‘nah’ at the end of words, so ‘human ah’ or ‘human nah’ eventually became ‘Humana’, which I found playful and memorable.”

Her bold, maximalist style has since earned international recognition, including a Golden Pin Design Award from Taiwan in 2023 and an ADC Young Guns award this year. Her clients include such global names as Nike, Uniqlo and Casetify.

Most recently, Foo was invited to London to serve as a jury member for the Design & Art Direction (D&AD) Awards.

“Through experiences like this, I feel Malaysian designers can contribute meaningfully to the global creative landscape by bringing diverse perspectives shaped by our multicultural environment, and how we see and interpret the world,” she said.

Creativity has always been part of Foo’s life. Although she was in the science stream in secondary school, she gravitated towards artistic pursuits, helping create school backdrops and decorative installations through extracurricular activities.

Over time, she realised she was far more drawn to creating visuals than studying science – prompting a change in direction.

The Bahau, Negeri Sembilan native later graduated with a bachelor of arts in graphic design before interning at an advertising agency. She then spent close to three years as a graphic designer.

It was a solid foundation for a conventional career, but Foo wanted to see how far she could push herself creatively.

“When I turned 25, I thought, I’m already halfway to 50 – why not give things a try? I decided to focus on illustration full-time and started Humana Studio to see how far I could go as an artist.

“It was a leap of faith, but it’s been an exciting journey ever since.”

Curiously, many of Foo’s biggest opportunities came not from commercial commissions but from personal projects.

Every year, she produces a new zine for the Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair, each centred on themes ranging from costumes and theatre to gardens, hotels and friendship.

One theatre-themed zine, with its vibrant and whimsical illustrations, caught the attention of collaborators in China. The artwork was transformed into immersive “Humana Theatre” installations licensed to nine shopping malls across Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo.

Another career highlight was working on Nike’s “Nike By You” project, which combined Humana’s contemporary aesthetic with traditional Malaysian textile motifs and local architectural influences.

“I had full creative freedom for the illustrations, which was very meaningful for an artist. Through this project, I also explored more sporty gestures, hairstyles and outfits, which helped evolve Humana into a more fashion-forward character.”

Foo added that Humana continues to evolve alongside her own experiences, with the places she visits and everyday life shaping both the character and the work she creates.

In May, her body of work earned her a place on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia listing, alongside fellow Malaysians Daniel Woodroof, Allison Choong, sisters Amy and Esther Tai, and Carin Gan.

Despite her growing list of achievements, Foo still has plenty left on her creative wishlist.

One dream collaboration would see Humana teaming up with one of the world’s most recognisable cartoon icons: Foo has long been an avid “Hello Kitty” fan, having collected vintage merchandise from the 1980s through to the 2000s.

“My second dream is to work with a high-fashion brand,” she said excitedly. “I personally enjoy styling outfits in my daily life, so I would love to bring Humana into a fashion context and explore that world through collaboration.”

Follow Humana Studio on Instagram.