Meet Ramisha Sattar, Chappell Roan's Creative Director
Proving the Invisible String Theory correct, Sattar takes us behind-the-scenes of meeting and working with Roan.
From the biggest names in music to astrology, Ramisha Sattar is the secret sauce behind many of your faves. The Los Angeles-based creative director is most known for her work with the ”MTV VMAs Best New Artist,” Chappell Roan and iconic astrologer, Chani Nicholas. In a new interview with us, Sattar dives into her art and the best moments she’s created for celebs.
If she could describe her work in three words, it’s “seriously unserious, & handmade,” she hilariously told us. With too many muses to count, her vibrant and whimsical eye is a flawless match for society’s current obsession: girlhood and its budding stars — ahem, cue Roan’s “Femininomenon” and upcoming dolls designed by Sattar herself.
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As for how she met the “Hot to Go” star, they met in the most Gen Z fashion: Instagram. “She saw one of my collages on her explore page and followed me. I realized I had seen her live once when she was opening for another artist so it was a cute invisible string moment. We then met to start working together creatively and quickly became best friends!”
From sourcing Roan’s looks in California’s budget-friendly Santee Alley (aka the Fashion District) to spicing up her stage presence, Sattar’s world is one we all feel seen in – so it makes sense that she’s a key mind behind our favs.
If you’re obsessing over Chappell like we are, keep reading for our interview as Sattar takes us behind the scenes.
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What or who’s your biggest inspiration?
I have a different muse every week and right now it’s Andy Warhol. I’ve been reading The Philosophy of Andy Warhol and I’m obsessed with this quote: “I’m everything my scrapbook says I am.” I use scrapbooking as a way to compile inspiration and to log projects or things that are exciting me at the moment, but I also use it for mood boarding, so this quote felt so fitting. I also draw a lot of inspiration from South Asian art. I am Pakistani, so I grew up surrounded by the vibrancy of old Bollywood movies, the intricacy of our textiles and the beauty of Arabic typography. Each of those things often makes their way into my art in unique ways. Some other muses of mine include vintage troll dolls, E.T., Dr. Seuss and Dolly Parton!
When did you begin creative directing?
I think for me design and creative direction have always gone hand in hand! I fell in love with different areas of design like illustration, animation and collage, one by one. And then as I began combining the different mediums together, I found that I loved how these mediums all intersect and complement each other. So when I approach a project, I look at it from a creative direction standpoint first and then I work backward to achieve the final product, piece by piece.
What was your “big break” into the industry and working with major brands?
My first “big break” in design was actually working at Rookie Mag. I grew up illustrating for them as a teenager and it was just the sweetest space to work with other young creatives. I learned so much from my peers at Rookie and it has been so sweet to grow up together and see all the cool gigs we’re all doing now.
Ramisha Sattar
After that, my next big moment was getting to do the creative direction for Chani Nicholas! As for the first music artist I worked with, that would be Phoebe Bridgers. I did a small typography project for some merch for her in 2020 for Punisher and it was so fun! I love typography and am such a fan of the way she writes her music, so getting to work on that was such a dream!
“We always said ‘OMG when we get screens… we can do this’ and now we are there!”
How did you meet and begin working for Chappell Roan’s brand?
We met through Instagram! She saw one of my collages on her explore page and followed me. And then I realized I had seen her live once when she was opening for another artist. So it was a cute invisible string moment. Then we met to start working together creatively and quickly became best friends!
What’s your favorite element of working with Chappell Roan’s brand?
I love working with Chappell because it doesn’t feel like work. It’s a party. The world behind the scenes is just as fun as how it translates on stage and in the music videos. It’s truly been the most fun couple of years and I couldn’t be happier to collaborate with her. Not to mention, her music is literally perfect and everything she touches turns to gold. She is also just the sweetest person and the bestest friend, so to see the world give her her flowers is just a dream.
Ramisha Sattar
You’ve done everything from creating flyers to record artwork for Chappell. So far, what’s your favorite project you’ve produced for her? Can you tell us about it?
My favorite project at the moment has been animating an hour-long set for our stage graphics. Each song’s visuals are specific to the world behind the song. It feels like a very full circle project to be able to now see her playing these massive stages — to new and old fans alike — and inviting the crowds into the world of the Midwest Princess.
Her festival run has just been so much fun to watch this year, and getting to be a piece of the stage experience is so fun. I also grew up going to a lot of concerts and was always so excited by the graphics on stage, so getting to create hers has been so much fun. We always said “OMG when we get screens .. we can do XYZ” and now we are there!
What’s the most creative thing you’ve done to bring a difficult vision to life?
A good example is what we did for the wardrobe before the album came out! We’d go to thrift pieces at different LA flea markets and then head to Santee Alley to buy feathers, beads, fringe and rhinestones. We spent days crafting until each piece matched our mood boards. Creating from scratch before we had budgets was so much fun but also laborious—it helped us figure out exactly what we wanted and be intentional with every item in the wardrobe!
Which do you have a greater love for: graphic design or creative directing?
I have a greater love for creative directing because I love the process of world-building. It’s so fun to carve out all the little details and intricacies that connect a vision. I am so grateful that I come from a design background though because it helps me look at the projects from a different lens. It feels like pieces to a puzzle.
What’s your ultimate career goal?
My ultimate career goal? Oh gosh, I have so many on my list. To build a brand and launch a studio, do more creative direction, create my own line of clothes/apparel, have a stationary store, publish a couple of books — the list goes on and on!
This interview was condensed for clarity.
For more, check out the spiciest moments from Spring/Summer 2025.
