StylePortfolios: Ginnel Diaz

What is your employment status?
GD: Unemployed (due to covid-19)

What is your official job title?
GD: Concept | Graphic Designer

Please summarize your professional career in 1 to 3 sentences; what should everyone know about you?
GD: I’m a confident & creative designer who is highly motivated, self-sufficient, and innovative. I posses a strong background in illustration, print, and graphic design, with a love for fashion, color, typography, & art.

Describe what you do?
GD: As a conceptional designer, I’m constantly researching fashion trends. I investigate category-specific trends based on silhouettes, fabrics, color, graphics & prints. I create graphics and prints for apparel, based off of my research while keeping in mind any new print and dye techniques, as well as price points. I approve strike offs for the fashion/retail company to assure the proper execution of the design.

Why did you choose to be a designer?
GD: I’ve always had a love for art. As a little girl, I would never be caught without a sketch book and pencil. I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember. Being able to express and translate my visions through art is such a life fulfilling emotion. I could not see myself doing anything other than what I do for a living, which is to create art.

What steps did you take to become a designer?
GD: In retrospect, I believe I was taking steps long before I even knew exactly what it was I wanted to do. In middle school, my parents put me into the Arts Instruction School, being that my elementary & junior H.S didn’t have a strong art program. After I completed the program I attended LaGuardia H.S. The School of Music and Art & Performing Art as an art major, where I studied everything from sculpting, painting, illustration, Ad design, etc. I fell in love with all art mediums. I then continued my studies and obtained my BFA in Graphic Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. After college I went on to become a Graphic Artist for a design & manufacturing company that focused on fashion apparel accessories. I was constantly on this path which ultimately led me into the fashion industry. I went from being a Jr. Graphic Artist, to a Handbag Designer, to a Sleepwear, then Swimwear designer and so on…I think that’s the great thing about being a versed designer, you get to explore various categories of design and your able to translate your visions of art on to clothing. A backpack, a dorm short or a legging can be your canvas and once you apply your art, the design comes alive.

What is the best/most challenging part of your job?
GD: I would have to say, Design Limitations. Every company has their own product restrictions. It can be difficult at times to create designs with certain constraints i.e. color usage, limited techniques, etc.. The challenge in creating great products with under minimum cost is what excites me. Problem solving skills is a must in the design world, and I thrive off of it!

If you weren’t a designer what would you be?
GD: Most likely an art teacher.

How did you get started in design?
GD: After I graduated from FIT, I applied for a Graphic Artist position for a fashion accessories design & manufacturing company. I found the job opening on StyleCareers.com and the rest was history.

What do you like about what you do?
GD: I love creating art. I love studying the consumer, in-house, sales, and/or the licensor’s taste level & overall needs. It’s difficult to please everyone but, coming close to creating that end product that everyone across the board is happy with is what I love doing.

What’s a common misconception people have about what you do?
GD: Often times people think I literally draw all day. The actual design process is misinterpreted. People are always surprised when I explain what goes into developing a graphic garment.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
GD: In 10 years I hope to run a small business for personalized designs. I’ll still be designing, hopefully from the comfort of my own home because that’s simply what I love to do.

How has your work evolved since you began your career?
GD: Being that I had the wonderful opportunities to design for various companies in different categories my designs have become more and more refined. I’ve gone from designing embroidered socks to recently being the sole graphic designer for the initial launch of LEGO’s original children’s wear for both boys & girls. My accomplishments along with my work keeps growing as I go along.

Are there any types of clothing/footwear/accessories that you avoid wearing?
GD: After being a handbag designer, I stopped purchasing higher priced handbags. My experience designing overseas was quite eye-opening and altered my perspective when it came to the production process.

What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
GD: It’s a tossup between packaging & home decor/interior design. I love looking at colors and patterns, seeing how they work together in a space. I’m also fascinated by typography and how a product can communicate a message therefore, award winning packaging designs is something I’m constantly studying.

What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your career?
GD: I’ve learned quite a few lessons and I’ve continuously grown. One of the biggest lessons of them all was learning my worth, my value, and mastering the art of letting go. In order to maintain my burning passion and my constant dedication, I had to recognize the importance of a work life balance.

What advice would you give to young designers?
GD: Enjoy what you do, pick & choose your battles in the design world, stay dedicated but never complacent and as I always say don’t be married to it..and that’s the key to my ongoing passion & love for design.

What’s your motto?
GD: Reinvention is the constant evolution! (something I always say) In order to be professionally relevant you have to stay current and be aware of what’s happening in the world of design.

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