“In a society that glorifies the disposable and inessential,” says the Australian graphic designer Visnja Brdar, “I aim for my work to have substance and aesthetic power that stand the test of time.” The daughter of Croatian refugees, Brdar at 22 had her choice of job offers and spurned them all to start her own design studio, BRDAR, in Melbourne. Recognized for treating each project as a form of storytelling, she has worked with major brands such as Estée Lauder, Issey Miyake, Jil Sander, and Nars Cosmetics, as well as in architecture, art, real estate, and lifestyle. “There is a clarity and vision that sets her apart,” says Hannah Matthews, the curator of “Visnja Brdar: Design Exalted.” It’s the first major Australian exhibition of a female graphic designer. —Jeanne Malle