Ciao, I’m Ira
I’m a Ukrainian living in Italy, brand and packaging designer.
I believe that when you have a goal and a genuine desire to create, somehow your inner compass finds a way forward, and eventually shows you the right door to walk through.
My own path has not been short or straightforward. It has shaped me both as a person and as a professional, and today I can finally say that I have found the kind of work that allows me to enjoy both living and working.
What I chose to do is quite simple: use my sense of aesthetics, strategic thinking and visual awareness to help businesses solve problems that depend on how they are seen and perceived.
My journey did not begin with design at all. I studied at a traditional university and graduated in Economics, a serious, practical career choice that, at the time, meant putting the more creative side of myself aside.
And sometimes that is simply how life works. At certain stages, you do not yet know exactly who you are or what you really want.
After couple of years surrounded by accounting reports, numbers and analysis, I became increasingly drawn to the idea of developing the talents I had been leaving in the background. Eventually, I decided to give myself a chance and try something different.
That chance gradually became my profession and, eventually, something I genuinely feel called to do.
I have now been working in design for more than ten years. I have gone from being an intern and an in-house employee to becoming an independent professional with my own point of view, way of working and creative direction.
Looking back, I am proud of the persistence, curiosity and determination that made all of this possible.
Designer, curious observer and the person behind Yanevych Design.
Studio companion, occasional distraction and very unofficial quality-control supervisor.
Inspiration usually comes from ordinary places and things.
Places
Travel, movement and a change of scenery have always inspired me. I’m the kind of person who can’t stay in one place for too long and is always looking for something new.I’m drawn to old libraries, atmospheric cafés, vintage shops that feel like little treasure chests full of secrets, the Mediterranean, ancient Greek Orthodox churches that feel like places of strength and, more recently, a sauna in a cottage surrounded by a Finnish forest.Above all, I’m inspired by nature. It is the place where I feel most grounded, just nature and me, alone.
Objects
A beautiful book, a perfume bottle, a pattern on a dress, the colour of the sky, flowers, beautifully shaped bread, handmade ceramics, oil paintings on canvas, a tea package on a shop shelf, old Italian and Greek architecture, kraft paper, linen and countless other objects that become sources of inspiration for me.
Everyday life
Nature is at the heart of everything for me. I love discovering different cultures, ways of life and food tradition, especially those of the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and the Nordic countries.Yoga also inspires me, especially because of how naturally and at exactly the right moment it came into my life.I value silence and time alone. By nature, I’m someone who needs personal space, reflection and quiet moments to reconnect with myself.
I learned design through real products.
Before building my independent practice, I worked on packaging and label projects for food and beverage brands. That experience taught me the practical side of design — formats, variants, technical information, dielines, print files and supplier requirements.
Juice ranges & product formats
Packaging design and adaptation across different product formats, variants and information-heavy layouts.
Labels & technical content
Label work for dairy products and ice cream, balancing visual appeal with ingredients and required product information.
High-volume product lines
Packaging and label adaptations where consistency across formats and product variants was essential.
From concept to print
Packaging developed from initial visual direction through adaptation and coordination with an Italian printer.
What stayed with me
It taught me to think beyond the mockup. A design still has to work when text becomes longer, the format changes, another SKU appears or the printer asks for something unexpected.
That’s a little about the person behind the work.
You can continue with some of my selected projects, or simply say hello if you think we might be a good fit to work together.