An Echo of the Times

Tell us about yourself, and what you do.
I’m a creative designer who’s just trying to take each day one step at a time. I actually got into design by accident. Even though my interests have always aligned with creative things like movies, music, and books, it didn’t even occur to me that a job as a designer existed until I was about 15. Drawing was one of my main hobbies back then, and walking into a school open house completely piqued my interest in becoming an illustrator. I wound up enrolling in that course years later, and I fell in love with the industry once I realised just how broad the world of design could be.

If there’s a piece of advice you’d like to give to a younger version of yourself today, what would it be and why?
To be honest, knowing how stubborn I can be at times, I don’t even know if the younger version of me would listen to the older me! (laughs) But if I had to say something, it would be along the lines of: don’t be afraid of time. At the end of the day, time is all we have, so we should just try to work with what we’ve got. Apart from that, I’d tell myself: try not to lose yourself. But I’m pretty sure younger me will figure it all out anyway.

What’s something you’re nostalgic for these days?
Lots of things! But lately? The existence of pocket books—real, palm-sized books that actually fit right into your pocket. As much as I like hardcovers or standard A5-sized books, they’re just not handy enough to toss into a small bag. I could invest in an e-reader, sure, but why would I deprive myself of the authentic feeling of paper and flipping pages? Not to mention the way books smell. It’s just such a comforting part of the whole experience.

What is fashion to you?
I’m not really into fashion myself, mostly because I’m someone who just wears whatever is comfortable. But to me, fashion is a creative outlet like any other—it’s a form of self-expression and a way to send a message. Over time, fashion also reflects the changing state of the world. I guess that applies to a lot of mediums, like architecture, but I do find fashion interesting. Maybe that’s because I know so little about it.

If you had unlimited resources, what’s something frivolous you’d collect?
Physical media of the things that I like. To have the means to own a library of things I enjoy? That’d be pretty great. But if we’re being totally frivolous, then it’d probably be small vintage cars. Imagine driving a 1970’s Jaguar Roadster. Such a silly looking car.