Introducing Brandmine's Portrait Style

We’ve been iterating on founder imagery since launch, and we’re happy to share a portrait approach that finally feels right.

The challenge was deceptively simple: how do you represent founders from Moscow to Mumbai to Addis Ababa with visual consistency—without erasing what makes each founder’s context distinctive?

Photography wasn’t the answer. Stock imagery felt generic. Realistic AI portraits landed in uncanny valley territory. What we needed was something that honored individual identity while clearly belonging to the same visual family.

The solution draws from the same “textured minimalism” philosophy behind our hero images: soft grain, warm tones, and abstract geometric backgrounds that suggest rather than dictate. Each portrait uses Brandmine’s core palette—our signature teal, warm amber, and earthy neutrals—while allowing cultural cues to emerge organically in the background elements.

Look at the four portraits we’re launching with:

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu (SoleRebels, Ethiopia) — Her image incorporates traditional Ethiopian basket-weave patterns in muted greens and golds, reflecting the artisan craftsmanship that became her competitive moat.

Vineeta Singh (SUGAR Cosmetics, India) — Warm orange and teal geometric forms echo the vibrant energy of the founder who turned 4,500 investor rejections into a $500M cosmetics brand.

David Huang (Perfect Diary, China) — Understated formality with soft coral tones suits the P&G veteran who built China’s first publicly traded beauty company.

Andrey Artemov (Walk of Shame, Russia) — Russian constructivist-inspired geometry in cool grays and amber reflects the fashion editor who transformed post-Soviet youth culture into international runway presence.

Different founders, different cultures—one recognizable Brandmine aesthetic.

The approach serves a practical purpose too. Founder photography from Global South markets is often unavailable, low-resolution, or inconsistent in quality. Our illustrated style means every founder profile has a polished, professional image that works at any size, on any device.

These portraits will roll out across founder profiles over the coming weeks.