Interview with Shijia Luo | A Versatile Designer from the United States Transforming Concepts into Realities

I specialise in a multi-disciplinary approach to design, focusing on branded communication and creating authentic experiences. With expertise spanning both print and digital media, across 2D and 3D realms, I see design as a powerful tool for enriching communication and enhancing engagement within culturally vibrant contexts.

As a graduate of California College of the Arts (CCA), I learned speculative design, I began reflecting this on a story, envisioning a future where advanced technology could revolutionise the way services are delivered remotely. This contemplation led to the conceptualisation of a project of mine, a story of an embodied visual sharing experience in exhibition tours in the future.

During my early academic experience, I learned the power of design through storytelling and was fascinated by it. The creativity of presenting a story or message through the engagement of visuals became my new desire. I would love to see myself immersed in it to make things fun, creative, and interesting, ultimately inspiring people.

I am presenting myself as a creative power in design and art, where I would like to adopt design as an interesting tool for enriching communication and enhancing engagement within culturally vibrant contexts. With expertise spanning both print and digital media, across 2D and 3D realms, I would like to explore the possibility of narrative-based storytelling through forms of design.

Design means a better way of communication, in the forms that it embeds. It is an improved way of communicating, through carefully placed and selected elements that detect the insight and connect the people.

I adore the design that brings out the cultural heritage and inheritance it in a new form but holds its core.

A good design is a problem-solving package that observes the patterns and seizes the nature of the object. Rather than breaking it, it alters the way it was and turns it out into something better, stronger, and smarter. It shows its consideration and respect for the ethical dilemma or cultural context and truly understands the challenge it was facing.

Believe it or not, I was in a very emotionally vulnerable period and I started to reflect on the source of the misery. A societal insight came into my mind and helped to explain the pain - women are mispositioned and overexpected with roles that they shouldn't have.

Most of my projects were driven by personal experience and thoughts, combined with meme collections regarding the topic. A series of TV shows, interviews, and films that cover a glimpse of feminism, especially how women are held in unfair expectations provided me with the thoughts of creating the design.

The social context and perspective of my home country regarding marriage have provided me an insight that feminism was rooted in the unfair expectations of women. Drawing from that, the metaphor of men as providers and protectors, while women are expected to prioritise family and domestic responsibilities, became clear. This perspective has fueled my commitment to designing communications that challenge these stereotypes and empower women to redefine their roles beyond societal expectations.

Thank you so much for the award! I am very glad to see the work being recognised in the awards. It marks a milestone in the project and also my design journey, that it takes a lot for compelling work to be seen, but it will be eventually.

Absolutely! The project I entered into the London Design Awards, Sweet Tooth, is a bold branding endeavor inspired by Cher's iconic 1996 interview. Her provocative statement, "Men are luxury...like desserts," sparked a deep reflection on the unequal burdens imposed on women. This led to the creation of Sweet Tooth, a social campaign aimed at shedding light on and satirising these unjust societal expectations through playful and witty narratives on social media.

By using humor as a tool, we aim to provoke thought and challenge stereotypes, ultimately advocating for a more equitable and inclusive society. The decision to enter this project into the awards was driven by our belief in design's power to spark meaningful conversations and inspire positive social change.

I am very honoured to be awarded and seeing my projects being appreciated and understood is a rewarding experience already. It inspires me to continue my future work as a designer and empower creativity for more embarking thoughts and ideas.

Innovation, Inclusivity, and Creativity.

It might be very subjective, but I think that a sense of humour is poured into my design through my storytelling and I appreciate the essence of it to be an insight that could connect with the audiences.

AIGC has already penetrated almost all areas of the art and design industries. It challenges and urges all artists and designers to leverage their work to be more thought and conceptual-provoking.

Craft yourself like a brand. Think of yourself as a brand. Inject the brand consistency into your storytelling and keep that in mind in each project that you are pouring into.

I believe all designers should have their own curated design feed that caters to their passions and interests. For me personally, I would prefer getting inspirations from artists and designers that I appreciate from their channels.

Dare to dream. Dare to let go of what others think and might think of you. Hold onto what you are passionate about and keep doing it.

My mom has always been the most inspiring spirit in my life. Although she was not from the design industry, she encouraged me to be imaginative. Daring to dream is one major step that so many wouldn't follow.

Hold onto the moment when you feel the spark. Grab it and pour it into your work.