You belong where you are invited
Founded in 2017 via Kickstarter, Umber is where mid-century design meets Wild Style and Nat Geo — a fusion of cultural nostalgia and forward-thinking design that honors the past while reshaping the future of media. Our work prioritizes documenting lived experiences across multiple diasporas and building an archive rooted in presence, memory, and perspective.
Umber is rooted in the embodiment of dynamic people who lead with culture. We live in our truth, guided by passion and curiosity — not algorithms or trend cycles. We create spaces for untold stories and creative journeys shaped by global worldviews. As an intentional reprieve from endless scrolls and fragmented narratives, Umber offers tactile, immersive storytelling that is whole, unfiltered, and alive.
Jazzi McGilbert, founder of Rep Club. Photo: Adam Davis
What We Do
Print Publications
Our publications, like our new Collage Edition, are tactile, art-forward, and visually experimental — designed to be collected, revisited, and cherished as cultural history. Each issue functions as a coffee-table-scale portal and gallery, bringing together long-form storytelling, curated imagery, and design that evokes nostalgia, reflection, and inspiration.
Live Events
We host curated live experiences including conversations, release events, and the Umber Talk Show. Our events are intentionally intimate and conversation-driven, bringing collaborators and audiences together in shared physical space. These gatherings extend our editorial work into real life and emphasize connection over scale.
Saul Williams, acclaimed poet. Photo: Pamela TornoCommunity & Contributors
Umber’s community is made up of professionals and industry leaders who share a commitment to intentional living, rigor, and thoughtful practice. They are artists, designers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and innovators who move with intention — valuing process and the everyday rituals that shape how work is made and experienced. Together, they serve as tastemakers and movement-builders, shaping the world through both their work and the lives they design.
Through features, profiles, and live programming, Umber works with a global network of collaborators who are reimagining our collective futures.
founder
Mike Nicholls is an Oakland-based creative director, visual artist, and content curator with over 20 years of experience across design, media, and storytelling. His work has been featured by AfroTech, PRINT Magazine, CreativeMornings, and SF Design Week. He is deeply passionate about his work, and his life’s purpose is to use design, storytelling, and visual art to connect people with the worlds that inspire them.
Learn more about Mike here.
Photography: McKayla Chandler
“I’m doing this because I love storytelling, discovering new perspectives, and peeling back the layers of how creativity is shaped. My passion for media comes from my journey as a visual artist, designer, and lifelong lover of magazines.”