Georgia Canning on creating “physical, immersive moments” in 3D

For a designer only a year out of university, Georgia Canning’s CV is extensive. Collina Strada, Paolina Russo, NTS Radio, 1 Granary, PC Music, Knwls – these are just a few of the names that populate her growing list of clients. Like many successful creatives, this success didn’t arrive overnight. It’s the result of years of grafting, networking and learning the latest skills in digital design to get her work noticed.

The London-based designer spent her formative years in Brisbane, where she attended a “strict religious school”. With little room for creative expression IRL, she relied on online communities like Tumblr, where she discovered digital art and niche fashion threads. By the age of 12, Georgia was already experimenting with Photoshop. “This early gravitation to digital tools became the foundation for what I do now,” she says. When she eventually got her hands on fashion magazines like i-D and Oyster, it opened up a whole new world of visual storytelling that would drive her towards the career she has today.

Georgia moved to the UK at 17, and was determined to get a foot in the door. “I couldn’t afford international university tuition at the time, so I did internships while living and working at a pub in Kent,” she says. Her first stint was at Dazed, aged 18, followed by 1 Granary for over three years. After that, she landed an internship at Hypebeast in New York, then Collina Strada and The Digital Fairy. “These experiences all shaped me far more than traditional education,” says Georgia. While interning, she always asked for career advice. Many art directors suggested graphic design, so Georgia enrolled onto the BA course at UAL Camberwell. She learned to use Blender in her first year, and by final year, she was already freelancing full-time as a 3D artist.

Today, Georgia collaborates with fashion brands, as well as working as art director at Studio Halia – an art collective exploring emerging technologies. Recently, the designer is expanding into art direction, as well as exploring the intersection of AI and 3D. “I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades,” she says. “I’ve always had a natural curiosity for a broad range of digital creative practices – from classic print design and typography to 3D work.”

One particularly special project is the set design for Paulina Russo’s A/W runway at Copenhagen Fashion Week 2024. Georgia created a 3D render of an icy glowing floor, brought to life by SubRosa Agency’s physical rocks. She also designed the collection’s seasonal logo, along with emblems that were incorporated throughout the collection. “It felt like the ultimate world-building exercise,” she says. “Seeing how my work was interpreted and applied across so many elements by other artists – from the clothes to the set and even artistic installations and balloons.”

Georgia brings an authentic vision to these projects, because she genuinely identifies with her clients’ audience. “That perspective is rare in design because, so often, you see it being done by someone outside of the brand’s audience,” she says. Her success has been fueled by this passion, as well as experimentation and curiosity. But looking ahead, she’s seeking deeper connections. “I’m craving more balance,” she says, “creating physical, immersive moments and working closely with others.” Her desire is to create meaningful, tactile experiences, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.