Manchester-based graphic designer Mah-Noor Anwar is making waves in the creative world with her vibrant, unapologetically kitsch visual style that celebrates second and third-generation South Asian identity. Through her online platform Chutney Chick, Anwar creates accessible and engaging artwork specifically designed for disabled adults and immigrant communities, drawing inspiration from Manchester's famous curry mile, Pakistani food trucks, and early internet aesthetics.
Anwar's distinctive multi-disciplinary approach combines photography, collage, and hand-drawn lettering to produce illustration and graphic work that speaks directly to her community. Her visual language deliberately embraces what some might consider outdated or unsophisticated design elements, transforming them into powerful symbols of cultural pride and accessibility.
The designer's influences span a fascinating range of cultural touchstones, from traditional Pakistani truck art and colorful sweet packaging to 2000s SpongeBob magazines and vintage Microsoft visuals. Anwar particularly draws on nostalgic digital elements like Comic Sans fonts and the charmingly clunky MS Paint interface, creating what can be described as part of the "Dollar Store Vernacular" aesthetic. This approach intentionally uses low-fi imagery commonly seen on food trucks and restaurant menu signage, elevating these everyday visual elements into art.
Manchester's curry mile features prominently throughout Anwar's work, serving as both inspiration and homage to the lengthy street filled with South Asian eateries in the northern English city. "For myself and the rest of my community who frequent these fantastic businesses, this aesthetic provides comfort and other positive associations," Anwar explains. "I associate this style of design with food that has been lovingly prepared, as well as the large and welcoming community that I come from. I feel that channeling this aesthetic in my design work is a way to honor my community."
Accessibility remains at the heart of Anwar's practice, with her work specifically focusing on disabled adults and immigrant communities. Her aesthetic choices reflect this commitment: highly saturated colors, low resolution images, and high contrasts that invite playfulness through their deliberate parody of old internet aesthetics. This approach isn't accidental but stems from deeply personal motivations.
"My younger brother, who has always been one of my biggest fans (second only to my Dad), is both autistic and learning disabled," Anwar reveals. "I have always worked to ensure he – as well as other adults like him – have ways to relate to and engage with my work. His opinions are key to my design process." This family connection drives her commitment to creating truly inclusive visual communication.
Through Chutney Chick, Anwar welcomes viewers with high-energy, friendly visuals that weave her personal presence directly into the artwork through selfies, drawings, and found imagery. This approach literally puts humanity into the images, creating an intimate connection between artist and audience. "I feel this stems from a need to be seen in a world and industry where people like me are often left feeling isolated and invisible," she explains.
One of Anwar's notable projects, "I Love Ducks Autistically," demonstrates her commitment to neurodivergent representation and acceptance. The interactive publication aims to encourage autistic people to engage with their special interests, with the visuals centering around Anwar's own special interest in ducks. The project serves as both personal expression and community resource, showing how design can bridge individual experiences with broader social understanding.
Anwar's work represents a growing movement in graphic design that challenges traditional notions of sophistication and professionalism. By embracing kitsch aesthetics and making them central to serious artistic practice, she creates space for communities that have often been marginalized in mainstream design discourse. Her approach suggests that what might be dismissed as "low culture" actually contains profound meaning and value for the communities that create and consume it.
The designer's success highlights the importance of authentic representation in creative industries, particularly for second and third-generation immigrants who often navigate complex cultural identities. Through Chutney Chick and her broader design practice, Anwar provides a model for how graphic design can serve as both artistic expression and community building, proving that accessibility and aesthetic ambition are not mutually exclusive but can work together to create meaningful, inclusive art.
