Thoughts/
THE CREATIVE Identity
THE CREATIVE Identity
Paris, July 2025
As another academic year wraps up, I’ve been reflecting on the past 10 months of teaching—and the lessons that go far beyond fashion and design.
Each year, I see the pressure students feel to define their design identity. It’s a big ask, but with the right support, it can be a joyful process.
Technical skills and methods for sparking creativity can be taught. Identity, on the other hand, is something revealed—through practice, reflection, and persistence. Like learning a language, you need fluency before you can truly express yourself.
That gap between vision and execution can be uncomfortable—but it’s also a crucial moment to persist. Here’s what I encourage:
1. Choose a trusted mentor
A good mentor helps reveal your identity through feedback and reflection—a kind of human mirror. You need to trust both the person and the process.
2. Experiment freely
You don’t need to know exactly who you are yet. This is a time for exploration. Take on assignments with curiosity. Try different styles, approaches, ideas. Then do it again.
3. Spot the patterns
After a few projects, step back with your mentor and look for recurring elements. In my experience, something always repeats—whether it's a theme, a shape, or a way of thinking. These patterns are clues to your identity coming through.
4. Embrace what you find
As your identity becomes clearer, resist the temptation to compare yourself to others. You might admire their work—but you’re not them. And that’s a good thing. Your strength lies in leaning into what comes naturally to you.
To all the professionals navigating this journey: keep going. Identity is not a fixed destination, but an evolving part of your creative life.
Each year, I see the pressure students feel to define their design identity. It’s a big ask, but with the right support, it can be a joyful process.
Technical skills and methods for sparking creativity can be taught. Identity, on the other hand, is something revealed—through practice, reflection, and persistence. Like learning a language, you need fluency before you can truly express yourself.
That gap between vision and execution can be uncomfortable—but it’s also a crucial moment to persist. Here’s what I encourage:
1. Choose a trusted mentor
A good mentor helps reveal your identity through feedback and reflection—a kind of human mirror. You need to trust both the person and the process.
2. Experiment freely
You don’t need to know exactly who you are yet. This is a time for exploration. Take on assignments with curiosity. Try different styles, approaches, ideas. Then do it again.
3. Spot the patterns
After a few projects, step back with your mentor and look for recurring elements. In my experience, something always repeats—whether it's a theme, a shape, or a way of thinking. These patterns are clues to your identity coming through.
4. Embrace what you find
As your identity becomes clearer, resist the temptation to compare yourself to others. You might admire their work—but you’re not them. And that’s a good thing. Your strength lies in leaning into what comes naturally to you.
To all the professionals navigating this journey: keep going. Identity is not a fixed destination, but an evolving part of your creative life.