Between Dreams and Design: Chenyi Luo Talks GuessWho Studio and Beyond

In an industry where most creative studios are built around singular visions, GuessWho Studio stands out for its dual authorship and unusually intimate process. Co-founded by twin sisters, the studio has developed a visual language rooted in memory, mirrored perception, and narrative space. Their award-winning series Dollhouse Dreams drew widespread attention for its blend of dreamlike storytelling and emotional nuance, establishing a distinctive tone that defines their practice.

Chenyi Luo, one half of the duo, sat down with us to talk about building a shared practice, shaping her own voice, and why she believes that design shapes lives.

Can you tell us about yourself, and how you first found your way into art and design?

I’m an illustrator and designer currently based in New York, and I co-founded GuessWho Studio with my twin sister. llustration allows me to express emotions that feel too complex or subtle for words. I’m especially drawn to metaphor, atmosphere, and the quiet details that linger. What keeps me going is the belief that design and illustration shape how we feel—about ourselves, our memories, and the spaces we move through.

How does your collaboration as twins shape the way GuessWho Studio works?

My sister and I have been making things together since we were little, from drawing on the same pages to building stories side by side, so forming a studio was a natural extension of that. Our most recognized project is Dollhouse Dreams, which uses the dollhouse as a metaphor for childhood imagination and the emotional space between two people. Since then, we’ve developed other series like Pillow Talk and Cinema Escape, exploring more psychological and cinematic tones but still center on themes of blending memory, fantasy and shared love.

Outside of your work at GuessWho Studio, what other creative roles are you taking?

I work as a UI/UX designer and brand strategist at What3ver, a New York-based company. There, I build the brand identity from scratch—logo, visual tone, typography—and work on user flows like the signup process. I’ve also collaborated with clients to design campaign visuals and branding systems. These commercial roles sharpen different parts of my practice.

How do you navigate working within client needs while staying true to your creative vision?

It starts with listening. I try to understand what a client wants to say on an emotional level, and then translate that into something visual. With projects like Want Theatre or Dongyi Dunhuang Hotel, I found ways to merge their identity with my aesthetic language. It’s not about imposing a style, but about finding overlap between their voice and mine.

What excites you most about the future—either for GuessWho Studio or your own artistic path?

We’re currently developing an original IP called Nanameimei—a project that reflects our shared voice as twins while exploring new visual territory. Personally, I hope to keep exploring that line between introspection and connection—creating work that gives people a small moment of stillness in their day. Sometimes, that pause is a story in itself.