Pentagram

What are some of your earliest creative memories and what lead you into design?

My earliest creative memory is scribbling on our freshly wallpapered drawing room walls when I was 3 or 4. I also remember walking to art class with my mother. She’d wait for me outside the class and take me back home. My parents were extremely supportive of having extra curricular interests. I tried a couple of classes before I decided I rather draw than anything else. I made cards and did crafts at any chance I had. I think my mother has a binder of my greatest hits from when I made mother’s day cards, father’s day cards, anniversary and birthday cards.

When I was in middle school, I found about a design school in Ahmedabad, India because of a senior who was currently studying there. I started preparing for the exam and was accepted at the National Institute of Design, India, in 2014. We had a foundation course that lets you dabble in different aspects of design. That really helped develop my understanding of design and subsequently lead to my choice to study Graphic Design in my second year.

Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?

I am currently a final year Graphic Design student at the National Institute of Design, India. I worked with Echostream, Sikkim, India to develop the Sikkimis Tea Spa range. Going there helped me develop the ability to adapt and design for contexts and cultures different from what I was used to. I then worked under Codesign Brand Consultants, Gurgaon, India. I was introduced to the branding process for the first time during my time there.

Right after that I was selected by the National Skill Development Council of India to represent my country for Graphic Design at the 44th Worldskills 2017. I was trained at Lopez Design by its founder and principal, Anthony Lopez and designer, Shivani Prakash. It was a vigorous training program that called to use everything I had learned so far. It changed how I planned a workflow and made me realise how much I could push myself. It also lead to me competing amongst talent from all over the world in Russia and Abu Dhabi.

I am currently finishing an internship at Pentagram, New York, under Michael Bierut’s team.

How did you develop your style as an designer and what tips would you have for others?

As a design student, allowing yourself to try everything you can is important. Whether this is different mediums, processes, styles, tools, anything you can get your hands on. I would turn to the wood and metal workshop to build a prototype for some of my interactive explorations all the time. I believe that took away my fear of trying out new things, whether that is a new design tool or a different sector of design.

I also think reaching out to people you look up to is important. And this is doesn’t have to be only about how beautiful their work is. It could be because of how long they’ve been around, their work ethic or just anything you think you’d want to embody eventually.

Who are your top five design crushes right now?

Noemie Le Coz, Leland Maschmeyer, Richard Turley, Justin Richburg and Bryan Rivera