INTERVIEW: Alexandra Perlin (Alex Perlin Graphic Design & Illustration)

Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do.

My name is Alex Perlin and I’m a fashion illustrator and graphic designer. I started my company, Alex Perlin Graphic Design & Illustration in 2009. I began with custom design jobs and a line of illustrated stationary products including greeting cards and books.

As a start-up entrepreneur I get to do a bit of everything through my business: from web design to illustrating kid’s stories to marketing and sales. My training is in fashion communication (I’m in my last year at Ryerson), and my biggest focus is on fashion illustration. You can definitely see that influence in my style.

What motivated you to start your business?

I first got asked to do a couple of odd design jobs in my second year of school and really loved the idea of being able to create art that helped to explain, promote or inform other people’s ideas. Those first jobs really helped me to figure out what I liked best about design. From that the challenge of running my own business became really appealing.

How did you start?

In trying to come up with a way to distribute my work, I started checking out art shows and festivals. I signed up for my first art show in 2008 with my first collection of zodiac greeting cards, illustrated agendas and original paintings.

I was able to get feedback from customers directly, which really helped me to figure out what people liked about the collection and gave me a chance to make improvements right away. Getting that feedback and talking to other artists motivated me to take the steps to get my business going by starting wholesale distribution, getting involved in bigger shows and promoting my design services.

What studies or personal qualities have best helped you with the start-up of your business?

There are the obvious characteristics like motivation and a strong work ethic, but I think what’s most important is that the business is something that you genuinely care about and want to develop. If it is, then you’ll be able to look at it critically and really make improvements.

Who are some of your biggest influences? What are some of your inspirations when designing something?

Right now, I’m really interested in interiors, textiles, typography, and illustration. My studio is filled with magazines, flea market finds, scraps of paper, brochures, fabric, and whatever else I can find.

For the Holiday greeting card collection, I took inspiration from 1950s advertising, antiques and late 40s/50s fashion. Those inspirational pieces have so much character. They are elegant, romantic and a bit kitschy.

Who have been your biggest supporters thus far?

I received a lot of support from people in the community, both in Kingston and Toronto. My friends and family have been the most important supporters. They’ve seen and encouraged my work at every stage of process and have been really generous with their time.

How have you built your brand?

My products are designed to be fun and feminine, while the graphic design is custom and very versatile. I had a challenge finding a way to connect these ideas in developing a brand. I love working with people and really enjoy doing what I do. That was also an important message to get across.

Starting with logo graphics, I came up with a concept that was clean and simple, that used colour (hot pink) to describe the brand personality. I kept the concept consistent through the website (alexperlin.com), blog, the look of my booth at shows, the packaging of the products, and everything else. The brand’s look will develop as the company and product line grows, but the experience will stay the same.

Besides illustrations are you involved in any other projects / ventures?

I get to work in a lot of different areas of design. In the past couple of months I’ve been doing a lot of website design. Amana Canada’s new site was recently launched and is one that I designed with Mediaboot Productions.

What upcoming releases, projects, or events are you working on?

Right now, I’m working on a couple of graphics jobs including a website for three fashion boutiques in Kingston, Catwalk, Cybil Scott, and Coquetta. This project has been really amazing because I get to incorporate illustration, graphic design, and fashion.

I’m putting a lot of energy into my thesis project for school this term. This is my last semester at Ryerson and the workload is really heavy. I’ve got some small projects happening on the side, but most of the new ideas for my business will have to wait until after graduation.

What are your plans for the future?

For the next couple of months, I’m focused on finishing my program at Ryerson. After that, the goal is to continue learning and growing with this industry.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Alex. Do you have any last words or shout-outs?

Thank you to everyone who has been supportive of my business this past year.