12 years of Felix&Friends

“My large agency background had given me strong commercial expertise, but I found that projects could often become repetitive,’ notes Barfield.” I was ready to create a new kind of experience for myself and for my clients. To build an engaging experience for my clients whilst also delivering strategic design excellence on brand, print and digital projects.” It didn’t take long for things to take off: Felix&Friends’ first client was luxury interior designer Martin Kemp, creating his now instantly recognisable MK brand—and the agency continues to work with his team for all their design, digital and advertising today.

From the start it was clear Felix&Friends was cutting its own unique path, with values that rested on growing a strong creative team with an ambitious culture of inclusion and innovation. “I wanted to build a community of like-minded people, all delivering strategic thinking, excellence in design and having a good time doing it—and those continue to be our guiding principles,” he notes.

And it’s the ease and enjoyment of working with Felix&Friends that clients highlight time and again. “We’ve always focused on the value of an enjoyable experience as an integral part of a premium service. I remember telling one client during a proposal that I wanted their project to be a fun experience for them and they replied that no one had ever said that to them before.”

Variety too has been fundamental to the agency’s vigour and success—over the past 12 years, Felix&Friends has delivered impactful design for clients across different industries, from property development to fashion and luxury resorts. “You’re naturally energised when each project is different,” says Barfield. “The fundamental belief that all our clients all have in common though is in the importance of excellent design. They see it as an investment in the future of their business.’

With a team that now numbers 15 designers, copywriters and account managers, Felix&Friends is large enough to take on any challenge, but for its founder the key is that it remains people-focused. ‘I always want to know my clients and be able to retain true personal service. Our clients tell me that they like being with the same team throughout a project—in many big agencies you often get introduced to people, then never meet them again.”

In 2023, the imminent launch of a residential London development adjacent to a high-profile tower is the latest in a portfolio of prestige design projects across property, finance, lifestyle and luxury hotels for clients in Europe, the Middle East, US and Asia. The agency’s anniversary year promises to be an exciting one: for Barfield, however, it’s the continuation of an ethos embedded right from the start, matching design talent to client need with strategic flair —and creating something really special as a result.

“I care deeply about the outcomes because I understand their importance,” he notes. “We always say there are two reputations on the line in any project: ours as an agency and more importantly our clients’. They come to us to answer a brief and meet a challenge, whatever that might be. And that’s what we do.”