What does your life in design look like?

Since launching the podcast two years ago, DBA Expert and host Claire Blyth has interviewed over 50 of the world’s leading designers, creatives and strategists about their lives in design. 

The podcast lifts the lid on their careers, starting each episode by asking when they first discovered that design was a ‘thing’ they could base a career on.

For some it was the influence and impact of graffiti or album cover art, for others it was a curiosity around packaging design, something else that sparked their curiosity –  many came to it quite late. This is partly why the podcast offers such valuable insights, especially for young people navigating their lives in design, and hearing that it’s not always a linear journey into the exciting world of design.

The series is now back in its fifth season, and kicked off earlier this month with design legend Mary Lewis, co-founder of Lewis Moberly, who joins a host of other big names, such as Brian Collins and Pentagram’s Paula Scher, in sharing her life in design so far.

Mary, in her first-ever podcast interview, shared deep insights into her life, from growing up on a farm in Shropshire, teaching graphic design, discovering adland, and going on to launch the ground-breaking design studio Lewis Moberly. “I was always fascinated by what went into brands to create them; the psychology that was involved really interested me,” reflects Mary during the podcast.

Her interview offers a unique glimpse into the thinking that has propelled her agency to have had such a significant impact within the design industry. “I’ve always been very self-motivated” reveals Mary, “I’m conscious of answering a brief, but I also have to answer to myself. That’s very important.”

Podcast guests this season

Catch up with Emily Rickard, CEO of BUCK, giving her take on the creative industries through the lens of production, fashion journalism, and reality TV, to leading BUCK where she works alongside some of the most talented artists in the world. “There’s a real curiosity built into the culture, which I think is wonderful,” she says, “everybody has the opportunity to learn; I’m still learning every day.”

Emily also points to BUCK’s work on the spectacular movie ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ as being a perfect tool to inspire the next generation of creatives (take a look here). “I’m really passionate about making sure that we continue to push diversity in our industry,” says Emily. “There’s so much untapped potential and talent out there,” she adds, recommending to young creatives that they should “find their own style” and “don’t be afraid to reach out to the companies that inspire you and see if there’s internships available.”

We also have Hamish Campbell, VP Executive Creative Director of Pearlfisher New York, sharing how he came to design fairly late but forged a path that led him to be approached by Pearlfisher to be part of their New York office. He also shares insights on how design students in the UK and the US differ.

Upcoming interviews promise even more valuable insights from industry figures such as jkr’s co-founder Ian Ritchie, Joy Nazzari, founder of DNCO, Joshua Breidenback, co-founder of Rice Studios, and Ekaterina Solomeina, co-founder of Future London Academy.

Subscribe and download ‘My Life in Design’ and please share so the podcast can help inform, educate and inspire young designers to achieve fulfilling careers in design.