Felix
Lebedinzew

What led you into design?

Design wasn’t something I deliberately chose—it felt more like a natural progression, or perhaps, an expulsion from my original path. At first, I thought I’d pursue jazz guitar or dive into mathematics, but looking back, I’ve always been a maker. From my earliest days, I was captivated by the act of creating. I remember being utterly engrossed with Lego; that’s where it all began.

Then, in 2008, I got my first MacBook—still have it, by the way—and that was the game-changer. I dabbled in everything: music, photography, and eventually, graphic design. Those early experiments in Illustrator laid the groundwork for what would come next.

Fast forward a few years, and I found myself studying design in Berlin. My journey took me everywhere—San Diego for a semester, Bangkok working at a drone startup led by a former NASA engineer (who, by the way, turned out to be the father-in-law of Chris Cox, Zuckerberg’s best friend and Facebook’s ex-CPO). Then, I returned to London for my master’s degree. Through it all, Bauhaus and IDEO’s “design thinking” influenced me deeply.

In a world where digital is king, I’ve always been drawn to creating products that not only function seamlessly but carry that aesthetic simplicity I admire. Yet, beyond minimalism, it’s the attention to detail—the little moments that elevate an experience from expected to extraordinary—that keep me pushing forward. Design, for me, is about refining each element until it speaks with purpose and leaves an impression that lingers long after the interaction ends.

What does a typical day look like?

There’s no such thing as a ‘typical day’ for me—creativity thrives on fluidity, after all. But I do value a structured start. I’m usually up early, caffeinated, and focused on the day’s most critical task when my mind is at its sharpest. As the hours progress, meetings flow in, aligning with stakeholders, discussing concepts. Once you’ve honed your craft, the real challenge becomes how to communicate your vision clearly, to craft an idea that resonates with everyone and evolves into something concrete. That’s where the real magic happens.

I’m deeply intrigued by how we think and perceive, which is why I delve into subjects like neurophysics, astronomy, and the universe. It might seem unrelated, but I believe these explorations reveal the interconnectedness of everything—design included.

Evenings are reserved for balance—whether it’s a workout, time with friends, or a quiet, late-night dive back into work. There’s something uniquely inspiring about the stillness of the night, a space free from distractions where ideas can really take shape.

What's your workstation setup?

I like to keep my workspace minimal—just my MacBook, phone, and a large screen. Efficiency is everything, and for me, it’s all about the trackpad and shortcuts. A small quirk: I always switch off Apple’s “natural” scroll direction. They changed it years ago, but I could never quite adapt. Most of my day revolves around Figma, though I dip into Photoshop or After Effects when a design needs that extra layer of refinement. Music is my constant companion, the catalyst that helps me lock into focus. With that, I’m ready to create.

Where do you go to get inspired?

Inspiration doesn’t always strike when you’re looking for it. Sometimes, it happens in the most unexpected moments—like when I’m walking through the quiet streets of Berlin, noticing the way sunlight filters through the trees, or when I’m sipping coffee at a small corner café, watching people move through their day.

But the most powerful inspiration comes from nature. There’s something about being outside, disconnected from screens and notifications, that clears my mind and allows ideas to flow. It’s as if the simplicity of the natural world reminds me of what good design should be: elegant, effortless, and deeply functional.

I’ve also found that inspiration is often sparked by conversation. The design community in Berlin is vibrant, filled with passionate people who love to share ideas. A simple coffee chat with another designer can lead to breakthroughs. Sometimes, you just need to hear someone else’s perspective to unlock your own creativity.

What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?

It’s tough to impress me these days, to be honest. But for me, great design is about something being so well-executed that it becomes invisible. You don’t even notice it because it blends naturally into your environment or task. It just feels like, “This is how it’s supposed to be.” When a product combines form and function so seamlessly that it almost disappears—that’s when I think it’s truly great.

What pieces of work are you most proud of?

I’m not one to brag about my work, but I’d say working at Revolut has been an incredible experience. I’ve collaborated with some of the most talented people across product, data, and engineering, and together, we’ve pushed the boundaries of what a banking app can be. I’ve played a big role in redesigning the core experience for Revolut’s home and accounts screens, and I can’t wait for it to go live.

In my earlier startup days, I was focused on creating interfaces that bridged the digital and physical worlds, taking inspiration from nature. That idea of translating real-world metaphors into digital interactions is something I still enjoy working on.

What design challenges do you face at your company?

The biggest challenge is balancing the need for fast delivery with the complexity of the systems we’re working with. On the one hand, we want to ship quickly and iterate. But at the same time, changes in design can have ripple effects across the entire product, so we need to anticipate the consequences and align with multiple teams. Honestly, half the job is design, and the other half is communication. You need to make sure everyone—from engineers to product managers—understands the “why” behind your design decisions. That’s where a lot of the challenge lies—getting people on the same page and bringing them along for the journey.

What music do you listen to while designing?

Any advice for ambitious designers?

My best advice is simple: learn by doing. Download tons of apps, play around with them, figure out what works and what doesn’t. Then take that knowledge and design something yourself. Share it, get feedback, and keep iterating. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience. The more you design, the more patterns you’ll start to notice, and the better you’ll become. Don’t wait for the perfect project to come your way—just start creating.

Anything you want to promote or plug?

I’m not much for self-promotion, but I’d invite anyone to check out my creative hub and join the Berlin product design community. It’s a space where we talk about design in all its forms and how it affects the world around us. Feel free to drop by, share your thoughts, and let’s keep the conversation going.