Discover Graf Stephan von Falkenstein's diverse expertise through his past projects, innovative approach, and glowing reviews. His collaborations with NowThis, Red Bull, and Spotify have reached millions, transforming brands and user experiences across industries. From web and product design to cutting-edge Web3 VR/UX/AI innovations and Twitch livestreams, Stephan’s dedication to pushing boundaries since Web1,
Welcome to my comprehensive suite of digital services, where creativity meets innovation to deliver exceptional results. I specialize in a variety of areas, ensuring your brand stands out and thrives in the digital landscape. From visionary creative direction and user-centered design to adaptive web solutions and strategic social media management, I cover all aspects of your digital needs. My goal is to create engaging and functional experiences that resonate with your audience and drive success for your brand. Explore my services below.
Creative Direction
Inspiring Visual Leadership Providing visionary guidance to create cohesive, impactful, and compelling visual narratives for your brand, product or service.
User Experience Design & Research
Optimizing User Journeys Crafting intuitive and user-centered designs through research and analysis to enhance user satisfaction, usability and engagement.
User Interface Design & Research
Engaging Digital Interfaces Designing aesthetically pleasing and functional interfaces that enhance user interaction and overall digital experience.
Responsive Web Design & Development
Adaptive Web Solutions Developing dynamic and responsive websites that provide optimal viewing experiences across all devices and screen sizes.
Webflow Development
Effortless Webflow Mastery Creating sophisticated, custom-built websites using Webflow, ensuring seamless functionality unique design elements, and a powerful, streamlined CMS experience for clients.
E-commerce Development and Customer Experience
Transforming Online Shopping Building robust e-commerce platforms that enhance user experience and drive customer satisfaction and loyalty
Branding, Identity, Logo Design
Defining Brand Identity Crafting distinctive and memorable brand identities, logos, and visual elements that resonate with your audience
Social Media Marketing and Management
Strategic Social Engagement Developing and managing impactful social media campaigns to boost brand awareness, engagement, and growth.
Content Creation, Reels, Livestream, Video Editing
Captivating Digital Content Producing high-quality content, including reels, live streams, and videos, to engage, inform and entertain your audience across digital platforms.
Projects
SINCE 2006
28 Black
Social Media Marketing B2B Dropshipping Consultant Contract May 2009 New York City
I facilitated the German team's integration into the vibrant New York City nightlife scene, spearheading Social Media Marketing initiatives, Ads, and comprehensive brand development. Additionally, I devised a pivotal B2B Dropshipping System Strategy that facilitated 28Black's successful launch in the United States, operating out of Manhattan.
Red Bull Stratos
Art Director Consultant Contract September 2012 New York City - Salzbug
As part of the team that played a crucial role in event marketing and advertising efforts. Additionally, I prepared and showcased items to educate the public about this historic event, which remains one of the largest advertising campaigns in history.
NowThis News
Senior Product Designer Consultant Contract May 2015 New York City
At NowThis, I collaborated with the team at the forefront of self-playing, short-form, and vertical video formats. I played a pivotal role in pioneering the playlist design system with Facebook and contributed to research that shaped the creation of Reels and Stories formats
Creative Director Consultant Contract May 2014 New York City
As Creative Director at Tigerspike NY, I enhanced UX and UI workflows while collaborating with a highly skilled team. I had the privilege to work with major clients such as IHS Markit, American Express, and others, contributing to impactful design solutions.
OnlineBook
Product Design Lead Startup Founder September 2008 New York City - Tel Aviv
As the founder of OnlineBook Systems, I led product design efforts that revolutionized how the fashion industry sends and receives high-resolution files, pioneering digital polaroids. The system achieved successful acquisition in 2010, marking a significant milestone in digital asset management for fashion.
Red Bulls NY
Art Director Consultant Contract 2013 New York City - Salzburg
As part of the founding team at Red Bulls NY, I played a pivotal role in creating foundational branding guidelines. From stadium advertising to jerseys and social media campaigns, I contributed to shaping the brand's identity during its early years.
Spotify
UX Researcher Consultant Contract 2011 New York City
I had the honor of being part of the UX and UI research team that developed Spotify's first tablet app for the iPad Gen 1, pioneering digital streaming experiences.
Ecommerce Strategist Consultant Contract 2013 New York City - Austria
I had the opportunity to work directly with Maximilian Riedel to transition his family's iconic wine glass corporation from Web1 to Web2. I conducted extensive customer and user experience research for the ecommerce shop, implemented responsive solutions, and contributed to the redesign of Riedel.com.
20th Street Media
Art Director Partner Contract 2010 New York City
I joined Adam Schneider's 20th Street Media as Art Director and later became a partner. Together, we collaborated with local businesses in Manhattan and the NYC area, transforming their web experiences from Web1 to Web2.
Madonna Roseland Ballroom Concert
Visual Designer Apprentice Contract 2008 New York City
During my apprenticeship under Director Christian Lamb, I had the privilege of contributing to visual designs and preparations for Madonna's kickoff concert, setting the stage for her upcoming world tour
ThemeCloud
CEO / Creative Director Startup Founder 2011 New York City
As the CEO and Creative Director of ThemeCloud, I founded a creative platform specializing in themes and widgets for Adobe Muse web design and development software. Collaborating closely with Adobe, we pioneered the visual developer profession, achieving over a million downloads for our shop, until the end of Adobe Muses lifetime.
Senior Product Designer Consultant Contract 2014 New York City
In collaboration with Adam Schneider and Tigerspike, I contributed to making American Express' credit card ordering process responsive for mobile platforms. This involved UX research led by Dominique Lee and the creation of UI design systems.
Hotelcloud V2
Creative Director, Partner Consultant Contract 2012 New York City - Tel Aviv
As Creative Director and Partner for Hotelcloud V2, I contributed to the UI and UX redesign of Version 2, which was featured and launched at the Hospitality Expo 2013 in London. Focusing on innovative design and strategic improvements to elevate the user experience, we successfully signed major hotels such as the Waldorf Astoria, Hyatt, Marriot and the Ace Hotel.
Obama Hope Campaign 2008
Social Media Strategist Volunteer Contract 2007 New York City
The Obama campaign was the first to utilize social media and the newly emerging Twitter platform with several pioneering strategies. We developed workflows and features that have forever changed the political landscape, setting a new standard for digital political campaigns and social media.
Rihanna Nokia Livestream Event
Visual Designer Apprentice Contract 2009 New York City - London
As an apprentice, I had the exciting opportunity to be involved in Christian Lamb's productions for the Rihanna Nokia Livestream Event Concert in 2009. Collaborating closely with Christian, I delved into state-of-the-art livestreaming technologies and sophisticated camera systems. This endeavor stretched the limits of visual design and plunged me into the nascent world of online livestreaming
Leffrontee Shop
Art Director Consultant Contract 2010 New York City
Together with our team at 20th Street Media we created the website and branding for one of the most hyped shops in the 2000s in Soho.
World Rally Championship
Sen. Art Director Contract 2013 New York City - Salzburg
In collaboration with the Red Bull Online team, we redesigned the official World Rally Championship website with responsive and interactive web solutions.
As an apprentice to Andreas Ortner, I was part of the team that worked on the post-production and photo retouching for the international campaign.
Project 35
Creative Director Partner Contract 2008 New York City - Tel Aviv
As the Online Art Director and Partner, guided by Matthew Seifnia, we pioneered the revolutionary concept of Digital Polaroids in the fashion industry. Collaborating with prestigious clients like Ford, Wilhelmina, Women Model Management, and IMG, this innovation became a pivotal change, reshaping the communication between models and clients.
IHS Engineering
Creative Director Defense Contract 2015 New York - New jersey
As the Creative Director at Tigerspike, our team assisted IHS Engineering in creating responsive layouts for their extensive data. The challenge involved optimizing complex data used by the defense and aviation industries, making it easily shareable and researchable with a strong focus on user experience design.
House of Ascania
CEO & Digitaql Director Contract 2023 Berlin - Schloss Ballenstedt
It is an honor to collaborate closely with his Higness Prince Eduard von Anhalt-Ascania, and Grand Commander Knight Karl-Heinz Mayer for the House Order Albert the Bear, delving into and disseminating the rich narrative and history of the House of Ascania, a dynasty that has endured for over a millennium. My role includes co-authoring articles with the Prince, publishing his books in the United States, organizing book reading tours, and overseeing the social media channels and strategies, as well as web development. Engaging in this project is indeed a profound privilege.
Safehouse Lab
Design System Engineer Founder 2018 Berlin - NYC - Canary Islands
The Safehouse Lab is my personal media lab and a collective of designers, developers, and gamers. We are currently shifting our focus to Twitch livestreams and development for Horizon OS and Virtual Reality experiences.
Approach
My Strategic Approach to Project Success
My approach to every project is driven by a commitment to delivering exceptional results and ensuring client satisfaction. I begin by deeply understanding your vision, brand, goals, and target audience through thorough research and insightful discussions. This knowledge forms the foundation for developing a strategic roadmap that aligns project scope, timelines, and deliverables with your objectives. Throughout the process, I focus on creating innovative solutions that blend functionality with aesthetics to enhance user experiences across all platforms. Rigorous testing and optimization ensure the final product meets high standards before launch. By leveraging cutting-edge tools and methodologies, I maximize efficiency and deliver top-quality outcomes with minimal resources, ensuring your project's success.
Discovery & Research
Understanding Your Vision I begin by conducting comprehensive research and engaging in detailed discussions to understand your brand, goals, and target audience.
Strategy & Planning
Mapping the Journey I develop a strategic plan outlining the project scope, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with your objectives and vision.
Design & Development
Bringing Ideas to Life My designs and develops innovative and user-centric solutions, ensuring functionality, aesthetics, and seamless user experiences across all platforms.
Testing & Optimization
Perfecting the Experience I rigorously test and refine the final product, making necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance and satisfaction before launch.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Efficiency and Innovation I leverage the latest tools and methodologies to streamline processes, maximize efficiency, and deliver top-quality results with minimal effort and resources.
Reviews
Testimonies
Prinz Eduard von Anhalt
Grandmaster and Head or the House of Ascania
Graf Stephan von Falkenstein’s work in web development and digital media has been instrumental in establishing the modern presence of the House of Ascania. As CEO of House of Ascania Industries, he guides these efforts with clear vision and a strong sense of responsibility, supported by the research and development work of Safehouse Lab and his background in software engineering.
Kathryn Taylor
CEO Nouvelle Talent AI
I am deeply grateful to Stephan von Falkenstein and the team at Safehouse Lab for their outstanding work on my AI-driven web site. Stephan’s expertise, creativity, and dedication transformed my vision into a beautifully functional reality. I wholeheartedly recommend Stephan and Safehouselab for excellence in web development.
Adam Schneider
Program Management at Johnson and Johnson
Stephan and I worked on several projects together while at Tigerspike. Stephan's work is always top-notch and always exceeds expectations. Stephan is reliable, professional and a true partner.
Aaron Gitlin
Senior UX Designer at YouTube
I worked with Stephan in New York at Tigerspike, where he significantly elevated our visual and UI design skills. At the time we had to navigate a wide range of client needs, from complex enterprise interfaces, to simple delightful consumer ones. We also had to manage a flexible work force that ranged in experience from months to decades. Stephan was an important part of upgrading our craft – both for our clients and among us fellow designers. To this day I still remember some tips and tricks that have helped me in my own career.
Victoria Artz
Product Dsigner at Facebook
I worked with Stephan at 20th Street Media. His dedication to design is contagious. I learned a lot of working with Stephan, he dedicates his time to getting the project done on time while continuously impressing clients - we worked with tight deadlines - and managed to find time to mentor designers on the team.
Alexander Bierling
CEO at 28 Black
Our paths crossed during a project for 28Black, an international premium beverage we launched in the US. Stephan was an incredible help and sparring partner for our Social Media strategy and other projects following.
Andreas Ortner
Fashion Photographer and CEO of Milk Studios
I’ve worked with Stephan several times around the world and must say his Vision, Work, and Effort is amazing! Can’t wait for the next Project
Dominque Lee
VP or UX at Tigerspike
Stephan is a Creative Director with a great heart and a small ego, who strives for design excellence. In working alongside Stephan on the IHS Connect mobile experience, he showed his passion for intuitive, clear and contemporary work. It was very rewarding to collaborate with Stephan. He is a true team player.
