Drinks with Phil Wrigglesworth and Jakob Hinrichs

Trying to cram as many portfolio reviews as possible, Phil Wrigglesworth and Jakob Hinrichs had to forgo our usual lunch and instead dropped by for margaritas, guacamole and chips one evening last week. Phil, from outside London and Jakob from Berlin met while they were both attending classes at Universität der Künste in Berlin. Phil had received an erasmus exchange to attend classes for a semester with Henning Wagenbreth. Jakob befriended Phil and the two became fast friends. A graduate of the University of West England, Phil went on to get his MA at Brighton and now lives and works north of London. Jakob studied illustration and graphic design in Berlin and at the Universadad del Pais Vasco in Bilbao, worked in Spain for a time and then Stockholm before returning to Berlin.

Asked if there was much difference between art directors here and across the pond, the answer was no, not really. They have both received welcome invitations to see art directors while in New York—not just drop off their books. Perhaps it's because they have such a good reputation or perhaps it's because they are telling their prospects that they're only in town for a week, whatever it is it is working.

Both enjoy working in the US market. Phil is with Gerald & Cullen Rapp, and Jakob represents himself and both promote themselves vigorously. And they don't see each other as competition so it's natural that they in tandem present their work; art directors get two portfolio views for the price of one's time.

In this photo, left to right, Phil Wrigglesworth, Sarah Munt and Jakob Hinrichs