Designers are often told they have total freedom; they can say no, choose their clients, or follow their passions wherever they lead.

And while all of that is technically true, the reality is a little less romantic. Most design work doesn’t begin with a blank slate or a dream brief; it arrives via an inbox through inbound requests with existing brands, fixed scopes, and definite constraints.

Which made me wonder what designers would choose to design if they had 100% freedom to pick their next client? And not in some vague, aspirational sense, but what brands feel unfinished to them? What systems feel outdated? What objects, institutions, or experiences are begging for sharper thinking, better design, or a little more ambition and creativity?