Gabriel
Hernandez

Design Director building brands, products, and AI-powered experiences for ecommerce and SaaS companies.

Scaling Design at Narvar
A young man with glasses and dark hair, wearing a button-up shirt with rolled sleeves, standing with arms crossed against a plain background.
  • Lenovo logo
  • Narvar logo
  • Disney logo in white on a black background.
  • Spotify logo with white text and icon on a black background.
  • Adidas logo with three stripes above the brand name in white on a black background.
  • Andreessen Horowitz logo in white text on a black background.
  • Cisco logo, white design on black background
  • Levi's logo with registered trademark symbol on a black background
  • Intuit company logo in white on a black background
  • Logo of Big Heart Pet Brands with a heart shape and paw print graphic.
  • Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute logo with text and interconnected infinity symbols.
  • Tesla logo in white against black background.
  • White "dwell" text on a black background.
  • Edelman logo with geometric arrow design on black background
  • Del Monte logo with the words "Del Monte Quality" in stylized font on a decorative emblem.
  • Xero logo in black and white

How I Lead

BRAND & PRODUCT THINKING

Connect brand, product, engineering, and go-to-market strategy to create cohesive experiences that drive engagement and business growth.

CREATIVE SYSTEMS

Build scalable design systems, workflows, and operational frameworks that help teams move faster with consistency and clarity.

AI-POWERED INNOVATION

Use AI and emerging technologies to prototype faster, improve collaboration, and push creative possibilities forward.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & GROWTH

Scale teams through mentorship, operational clarity, and collaborative cultures focused on creativity, accountability, and impact.

Work Samples

CartAI brand identity and website design for an AI-powered ecommerce checkout platform
“In a short timeframe, Gabe took our startup from zero to launch with focus, flexibility, and executional rigor. I would recommend him to any startup or growth-stage company looking for a creative partner who is strategic, detail-oriented, and easy to work with.”
— Manil Uppal, Founder @ CartAI
AI-powered commerce assistant interface and product experience designed by Gabriel Hernandez

Videos Bringing
the Brand to Life
with Motion

Learn About Narvar’s Videos →

Two wireless earbuds with cords tied around them, attached to charging cases, against a plain background.

On the Move:
Powering NudeAudio’s Global Debut

Learn About NudeAudio’s Website →

Appriss Retail product marketing and AI fraud prevention design work by Gabriel Hernandez
“Gabe played a critical role in shaping and launching our AI-powered fraud prevention experience, helping translate complex operational workflows into an intuitive product interface. His ability to bridge product strategy, UX, and storytelling accelerated both internal alignment and market readiness.”
— Vishal Patel, Chief Product Officer @ Appriss Retail
People celebrating with colorful powder thrown into the air during a festival or event.

Eat. Drink. Play.
Unlocking the City's
Hidden Gems

Learn About Sosh →

Cover page of an annual report titled 'State of Returns 2024', featuring a young woman smiling and holding a phone, with icons of a shopping bag and arrows.

Content Produced
with Industry Data
and Insights

Learn More →

Color guide chart displaying base shades, gray shades, brand colors, and shades of green and blue with labels and color codes.

Website Redesign Powered by
Design Systems

Learn More  →

Pylon Lending brand identity and fintech website design by Gabriel Hernandez
“Gabe supported the design of our website solutions pages from end to end, delivering thoughtful, high-quality designs while also bringing a strong perspective on what makes a solutions page actually work. ”
— Brett Byron, VP of Growth & Marketing @ Pylon Lending
Retail technology tradeshow booth and experiential marketing design for enterprise ecommerce brand

Immersive Experiences That Leave a Lasting Impression

Learn More →

Mobile wallet and post-purchase tracking app experience designed for ecommerce consumers by Gabriel Hernandez

Consumer App Making Retail Simpler for Millions of Shoppers

Learn More  →

Digital graphic highlighting the $1 trillion problem of retail fraud, featuring a silhouette of a girl with a notification for claiming a refund, shield icon with a box, and text about AI-powered returns management.

Campaigns Crafted for Conversion, Designed
for Loyalty

Learn More  →

Frequently Asked Questions

  • I'm a Design Director with 20+ years of experience building brands, products, and customer experiences for ecommerce, SaaS, retail, logistics, and AI-driven companies. My background spans product design, brand systems, go-to-market strategy, and design leadership. From early-stage startups to global enterprises like Narvar, Spotify, Upwork, Tesla, PayPal, Sephora, and Adidas. Whether you're looking for a senior design leader to join your team full-time or a strategic partner to drive an initiative, I bring both the vision and the execution.

  • Yes. I'm actively considering senior design leadership opportunities (Design Director, Founding Designer, Lead Designer) where I can build or scale a design function, shape product and brand direction, and work closely with executives, product, and engineering. If you're a recruiter or hiring team with a role you think could be a fit, I'd welcome the conversation.

  • Yes. I partner with companies that need senior design expertise without a full-time hire. Whether that's helping launch a product, improve a customer experience, scale a design team, or bring strategic leadership through a period of growth or transition. Clients range from founders who need a design partner from day one to established companies filling a gap between hires.

  • I offer four models depending on your needs:

    • Advisory — Strategic guidance, design reviews, AI adoption planning, and product feedback. Ideal for leaders who need a sharp outside perspective without ongoing execution.

    • Fractional Design Leadership — An embedded partnership covering team development, design operations, product strategy, hiring support, and cross-functional collaboration.

    • Product & Experience Design — Hands-on UX work across customer journeys, onboarding, ecommerce, SaaS products, and design systems.

    • Brand & Go-to-Market Design — Brand strategy, websites, launch campaigns, sales enablement, and marketing experiences.

  • I've led initiatives involving AI-powered customer experiences, conversational interfaces, workflow automation, fraud prevention, and operational tooling. I help teams find practical opportunities for AI while ensuring the resulting experiences are useful, trustworthy, and human-centered.

  • Most design leaders come from either brand or product. I've built deep expertise in both. I combine product thinking, brand strategy, customer experience design, and operational execution to help companies build cohesive experiences that drive real business outcomes. I'm equally comfortable presenting to a board, partnering with an engineering lead, or rolling up my sleeves on the work itself.

  • Yes — for both full-time leadership roles and contract engagements. If you're a recruiter with a senior design leadership opportunity, or a company looking for a strategic design partner, I'd love to hear what you're building.