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20 May 2020

Interview with a Designer - Grace Buckley

Grace gained her degree at Leeds Arts University, and after interning at a few design agencies has been at Brandon for four years.

What made you want to be a designer?

I loved art and drawing from a young age & was always drawn to more graphic artists such as Paul Klee. I also really like the idea of problem solving so a career where I could blend creativity but within the confines of a brief or a problem to overcome was really appealing.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I normally find taking a walk either in the city or in the countryside very inspirational. It’s good to take a break from the screen and it is where I get a lot of my ideas from.

What piece of work at Brandon are you most proud of and why?

The Horlicks brand refresh was one of my favourite projects to have been involved in for several reasons. It was a big step on from their previous design so it was really exciting to be able to work on a brand refresh where all the assets were up for grabs. I also love to illustrate when I get the chance so I really enjoyed drawing the scenes for the packaging as they were quite challenging but great fun. I can often be found re-arranging the brand in store and the standout on shelf is amazing.

What category would you love to work on that you have yet to do?

Alcohol – in particular premium spirits. It is a category I’ve always been interested in and excited about as it offers lots of potential for really creative ideas without some of the boundaries of everyday FMCG categories – the format, the finishes, all the craft, storytelling and detail.

Just for fun questions

Guilty pleasure: Listening to Justin Bieber

Fave movie:  Lord of the Rings trilogy

Fave brand in the world : Tricky one. I have lots of favourites!

At the moment I would pick Gymshark – I admire the way the business has grown from operating out of the founder Ben Francis’ bedroom through to the huge business it is today! I follow them on insta and like the way that they represent a diverse range of people and body shapes. They use fitness influencers for the majority of their marketing to speak to their core audience which is a modern and effective method.

You can take 3 things (not people) with you to a desert island what would they be:

  • A book
  • Sun cream
  • Gin & tonic

Grace Buckley