Hey! I’m Izzy!✌️
I design them to build belonging.
That’s the difference. It’s not about decoration. It’s about creating something people recognize themselves in. A reason to show up. A reason to stay. A reason to come back.
I’m Izzy Poirier. Designer. Strategist. Artist. I built the Ottawa Design Club because I couldn’t find my people. So I made the space I needed. Now I work with others doing the same.
My work is concept-driven, audience-aware, and built to hold up across every format. Digital. Print. Space. Strategy is the foundation. Design is the voice. Every decision carries weight.
Whether it’s a visual identity, a zine, a campaign, or the full experience of an exhibition, I bring rigour to the idea and precision to the execution. The goal is always the same. Make it matter. Make it last. I care about systems. I care about feeling.
I care about the moment someone realizes, “This was made for me.”
If you're trying to bring people together, I’m the one you call when you want it to work. And you want it to mean something.
Let’s build something that hits.
I didn’t grow up feeling like I belonged anywhere. I was the artsy kid who was always on the outside. So I started studying how people came together. What made something feel like it was for you? How design could be part of that.
Eventually, I stopped trying to fit in and started building the spaces I needed. That’s what got me into branding. Not for hype or polish, but to help people feel like they’re part of something that matters.
Belonging isn’t a coincidence. It’s built. And it starts with how you show up.
What started as a speaker series became a way for people to show up, share work, and be part of something real.
Ottawa Design Club wasn’t just an idea. It was a response to a gap.
I couldn’t find my people, so I created a space where creatives could actually show up, speak honestly, and build something together. It started as a speaker series, but when the pandemic hit, we pivoted fast. We launched talks online, built our first zine, and kept the momentum going.
The events weren’t just about inspiration. Each one was built around a theme, curated with intention, and designed to feel like more than a lecture. Creatives shared their work, but also the stories and questions behind it. That’s what created connection. That’s what turned a bunch of strangers into a real community.
The zines became the artifact. Designed to be held onto. Tactile. Personal. A way to stay connected even when the room was empty. We still call them zines, but they’re closer to art books. Self-published by design. Made with care. Built to last.
credentials
I don’t throw titles around. But this one mattered.
I became the first woman in Canada to earn the Level C Brand Architect certification. Not because I needed a badge, but because I wanted the structure. I wanted to sharpen the strategy behind the work I was already doing.
This isn’t about templates or logos. It’s designing brands that reflect your values, hold up across platforms, and feel like they belong to the people you’re trying to reach. Strategy is where it starts. Belonging is where it lands.
Let’s build something that actually makes sense and holds up.
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