Studio David Glättli operates at the intersection of creative direction, cross-cultural collaboration, and strategic brand development within the Japanese–European design ecosystem.

Led by creative director and consultant David Glättli, the studio connects manufacturers, designers, institutions, and cultural partners to create products, exhibitions, and long-term initiatives that are both conceptually strong and commercially viable. Its work often spans the entire development process — from early concept formation and partner alignment to prototyping, production, communication strategy, and launch.

A core strength of the studio lies in translating ideas into structured and executable projects. Combining aesthetic sensitivity with strategic thinking, financial awareness, and operational clarity, David Glättli shapes collaborations that bring together craftsmanship, contemporary design, and cultural context.

Working with a global network of designers, makers, and creative partners, the studio develops concepts, strategies, brands, and product collections, while facilitating designer–manufacturer collaboration and overseeing design and product development.

With extensive experience working between Switzerland and Japan, David Glättli builds bridges between different design cultures, aligning traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design discourse and institutional frameworks.

David Glaettli was born in Switzerland and was trained in industrial design in Milan and Lausanne, where he graduated from ECAL. He moved to Japan in 2008 to work as a products designer and founded his own studio in Kyoto in 2013, which he later transferred to Tokyo. Since 2021, ‘Studio David Glaettli’ is based in Zurich, Switzerland. David Glaettli has been a guest tutor at Tama University, Tokyo,  ECAL, Lausanne and the ADK, Stuttgart. From 2023 to 2025 he was member of the Swiss Federal Design Commission. David Glaettli is the creative director of the brands Karimoku New Standard and Tajimi Custom Tiles and creative advisor to the Swiss Arts Council (Pro Helvetia) and Aji Project.