Client
Nike/Converse
Year
2022-2023
Scope
Men's and Women’s Apparel graphic designer for Spring and Fall Collection.
Released worldwide summer of ‘24
Software
Illustrator
Photoshop
An All-Star Design Experince
I participated in the All-Star Design Team, an eight-month apprenticeship at Converse. Out of thousands of applicants across the East Coast, only four designers were selected — each specializing in a different medium: graphic design/illustration (my role), textile/color, apparel, and shoe design.
During my time at Converse, I worked as the junior graphic designer for men’s and women’s apparel, collaborating 1:1 with the senior graphic design lead, the Converse Creative Director, and occasionally attending lunches with the Converse CEO at Converse and Nike HQ. I had the opportunity to learn from industry-leading designers and contribute to projects that were eventually released worldwide in Spring 2024, featured on Converse’s website.
The Project:
To meet the brand’s standards, I studied previous Converse merchandise, attended mind-mapping sessions with my team, and refined my Illustrator skills to fit the company’s visual system. I also applied trend forecasting, cultural insights, and audience research to ensure designs resonated regionally, nationally, and globally. Collaborating closely with a large team, I developed designs that balanced innovation with brand consistency, including Converse sneakers created entirely from scratch.
Solution:
This experience allowed me to expand both my creative and technical skills while learning the full lifecycle of product development at a global brand. I mastered production specifications, collaboration processes, and audience-focused design strategies. Beyond technical growth, I gained hands-on insight into global brand operations and had the unique opportunity to see my work publicly released, solidifying my ability to execute high-level branding and design projects from concept to launch.
Apparel-Released Worldwide
“How to Make Converse Lemonade”
As part of the Nike/Converse team, I designed a series of story-driven shirts inspired by summer and food nostalgia, aligning with projected trends in seasonal consumption and interest. Each design was crafted to be visually engaging while staying true to Converse’s bold and expressive brand identity. The main challenge was adapting my personal illustration style to fit within Converse’s established guidelines and creating compelling visuals using a limited color palette.
Apparel-Handmade Shoes
My Honorary Degree from The Converse Sneaker School
This is a one-of-a-kind pair of Converse shoes that I made entirely from scratch. I handpicked the fabric and laces, sewed the shape, embroidered the logo, and even punched the shoelace holes myself. Along the way, I learned firsthand the challenges of shoemaking — I accidentally burned a hole in the fabric and glued the sole incorrectly — but the experience gave me a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship behind every pair of Converse Chucks.
This week-long project allowed me to fully understand Converse’s history and production process, giving me unique insight into the meticulous work and attention to detail required to create a single pair of shoes.
The Rough Drafts/Ideations/Learnings & Insights
A lot of ideas didn’t make the final cut, which taught me the importance of evaluating projects from a global and cultural perspective, rather than just my personal viewpoint. For example, subtle design elements, like chopstick placement, may not matter in the U.S. but could be interpreted differently in Asian markets. This reinforced the concept of conscious design, especially when working with a global brand like Converse.
Through this process, I also learned the value of letting designs breathe — stepping back, detaching from early concepts, and adapting to evolving project needs. These lessons strengthened my ability to iterate thoughtfully, consider audience impact, and align creative work with a worldwide brand vision.
