Mike Lam.
In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's Weave's designer Mike Lam.
Time in current role/time at company.
4 Years as a mid-weight designer at Weave.
How long have you been in the industry?
5 years
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Not at all - I sort of carved my way into a design career. I grew up in Perth, was raised with an analytical mind, and my early years was all maths and sciences. I graduated with a commerce degree but quickly realised the finance world wasn't quite my frequency.
Right around that time, I became curious about photography and found my way into shooting lookbooks for a Dutch denim brand. Little did I know this would be my springboard into the visual world. One thing led to another; I relocated to Melbourne for a degree in Comm Design. 3 years of HECS debt later and zero regrets, I now wear many creative hats in my role as a Graphic Designer.
They say good things happen when you follow your curiosity, apparently, it's true!
Who is your right-hand who guides you day to day?
It's a cliché but I need to give credit where credit's due. I'm blessed to have a few. My Creative Director Darren Song, who shows me the courage to push creative boundaries and to zag when others zig. My Design Director Michael Longton, who shows me how to think in systems and with clarity. My Executive Creative Director Dan Cookson, who shows me the importance of storytelling in design. But more importantly, I work with a team where I'm encouraged to express myself creatively. As a young designer, I think it’s incredibly important to have people who will advocate for you. So I owe my entire team for all the progress I've made.
What’sthe best thing about the industry you work in?
Quite simply, we get the opportunity to make the world a little prettier with each project.
And the biggest challenge?
Learning to strike the balance between making compromises without breaking or scrutinising creative ideas!
Good design requires carefulness and thoughtfulness. These often take time and don’t happen linearly. Unfortunately, we’re in an industry where often, the expectation is to do more with less!
Whose job have you set your sight in the future?
As a hyphenated creative who strives to work across disciplines, I don't know if I have a particular job in my sights. But what I do know is I want to take on a creative project at a global scale. I don't quite know what that looks like yet but maybe if I keep saying yes to things I'll find out!
Where do you turn for inspiration?
People! Specifically, how they think, their process, their perspective and the way they navigate a challenge. A good conversation with the right person is always helpful to unlock a new angle to tackle something that I’m stuck on.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you
In my early 20s, I was a big sneakerhead and deeply tapped into that part of the culture online. Looking back, it taught me to pay attention to what aesthetic cues make something desirable and how culture moves. While I'm able to see far more visual nuance today, I'd say those were the days where I started developing an eye for design.
In five years time I’ll be.
Still led by curiosity. Perhaps taking on a design leadership role, whether that's within an organisation or a practice I've built myself. Working across disciplines and advocating for the value of design. I'm not entirely sure what that looks like yet, but that’s the fun part!
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