The design practice Overpriced aims to surpass the utilitarian aspects of design, giving beauty and deeper meaning to their work through stories, symbolism, and a contemporary interpretation of tradition, serving not only the client but also inspiring the wider community. In the Nice Touch section, co-founder and creative director of the studio, designer Aigars Mamis, shares a tool that has helped to add a human dimension to Overpriced’s latest projects.
«I’m a bit fed up with digital fonts, so I’ve been working a lot more with handwritten text in recent projects. This is how I designed both the exhibition Dzīvais Cimds in Cēsis and the bakery Celms Maize in Kuldīga.
The Posca marker I’ve been using may not be particularly special, but it was the best I could find in a local stationery shop in Kuldīga. The accidental purchase has become a great everyday tool for me—I love the way the ink flows, and it’s easy to scrape off the glass with a credit card.»
Aigars Mamis, together with his like-minded partners, founded Overpriced in 2016, and at that time the studio focused mainly on a strategic approach to brand design. Today, in addition to brand design, Overpriced works on projects that highlight local values and traditions. The studio has long-standing collaborations with the Ziedonis Museum and the Viegli Foundation, as well as working on communication campaigns for Riga, promoting a sense of belonging among locals.
Overpriced’s design for the exhibition Dzīvais Cimds (The Living Glove), dedicated to the artisan Jette Užāne, which was on display at the Cēsis Museum last year, has just been nominated for the National Design Award of Latvia 2025. The exhibition not only showcased the wide variety of knitted mittens created by Jette but also sought to reveal her inner world, with the exhibition design emphasising handicraft, functional accessibility, and the playful aspect of the everyday.
Viedokļi