The language of design with mother tongue

Shruti Singhi founded Mumbai based Mother Tongue Design with the intent to create a design led creative agency that was culturally rooted and globally confident. The objective was clear: to create brand languages with strategic depth rather than surface aesthetics.

Singhi asserts, "We help brands build cohesive brand systems that extend beyond logos or campaigns." It is this clarity-led approach that sets Mother Tongue Design apart. Singhi shares, "We ground identity in context and human behaviour first, and then translate it into scalable brand worlds across packaging, retail, digital platforms, campaigns, and emerging media." She adds, "For us, it is never just about how something looks, but about how it lives and grows."

Design philosophy

Mother Tongue Design is guided by the philosophy that packaging serves as the final, most personal touchpoint between a brand and its audience. Singhi observes, "[Packaging] has the power to communicate trust, care, and intent in a matter of seconds." She further adds, "At its best, packaging should be something you don't want to throw away; something that feels beautiful to hold and meaningful to keep."

Singhi points to the studio's work with Forest Essentials. She notes, "Packaging became one of the brand's strongest differentiators, and we have worked on it over many years." She continues, "It reflects a new Indian cultural landscape while also carrying forward the conversation around luxury Ayurveda." The agency underscores brand differentiation by selecting materials, details, and structures that feel indulgent yet intentional. This creates an experience that is both timeless and deeply sensorial.

Design systems

At Mother Tongue Design, the process begins at the very core of a brand, which includes understanding context, audience behaviour, and the brand's intent, with significant emphasis on research. What follows is building design systems that retain authenticity and highlight human touch. In Singhi's words — "building a packaging narrative that will be noticed, remembered and talked about."

Several processes are part of creating strong design language foundations, including concept ideation, structural design, material research, illustration systems, and storytelling. "Over the years, we have worked on building standout brand systems for brands like The Ballard Pier, Vahdam, Maska, Nimai, among others," she observes. "For us, real impact comes from how design fosters connection and how it makes people feel understood and part of something larger," she adds.

Design today

Singhi affirms that the packaging design industry in India is witnessing a shift. She asserts, "Design today has become an extension of people's identity and choices, and is much more about complementing culture and responding to it." She adds, "Consumers are more aware, curious, and emotionally driven in their choices. So packaging has to do more; it has to tell a story, reflect values, and feel relevant to the moment." She notes that packaging has to allow the consumer to make it their own, and that's how the brand narrative gains more credibility.

Mother Tongue Design particularly focuses on cultural storytelling, which helps the studio point towards a specific lifestyle or worldview. She adds, "Another thing we pay close attention to is tension. Whether it is elegance versus playfulness, tradition versus modernity, or function versus form. Those contrasts create intrigue." By expressing tension, the studio produces work that feels both exciting and familiar, prompting users to pause and engage.

Design in action

Looking forward to the rest of 2026, Singhi shares, "There's a lot in motion right now, from deepening our partnerships to expanding across newer sectors." She adds, "What we are especially excited about this year is working with brands as partners, coming in earlier in the lifecycle and working closely alongside founders." According to her, this integrated approach ensures that design influences not only a brand's visual identity but also its long-term behaviour and evolution.

She further suggests that designers carry a dual responsibility to be both responsible and responsive. To be responsible involves a conscious commitment to the design process, the selection of materials, and the resulting environmental or social impact. Simultaneously, being responsive requires staying attuned to human needs, cultural shifts, and evolving identities. She believes that by balancing these two principles, designers can produce work that transcends relevance to become meaningful. She reflects, "It is a testament of our time and holds more value."