India Sambuy
Q What do you do?
“I provide creative services. I do branding, brand refresh, graphic design and art direction projects, websites, social media templates, and pitch creative campaign ideas. I’ve been working with businesses any size, from helping young entrepreneurs to launch their business with a strong brand identity to refresh the brand image of an established fashion label. Most of my clients are NYC based.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I have a bachelor in Business, Management, and Computer Science and I worked for a couple of years at a consulting firm in Milan. I was involved with their marketing strategy and then I designed the user experience for their CRM globally, refining work processes and building an efficient and easy-to-use platform. I moved to NYC two years ago and graduated with double honours from the Associates Degree in Fashion Marketing and Communications at Parsons School of Design. I came to New York to complement my business acumen and technical skills with a creative portfolio, going back to school was the greatest gift. I have been freelancing as a graphic designer and art director since graduation, but I double up with production assistant and hospitality gigs when given the opportunity.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I follow a very collaborative and close approach with the people I work with. I want clients to own their visual identity while I offer my skill set to produce high quality design that stands up to their aspirant competitors. Working through multiple rounds of review and feedback sessions, I ensure that clients are excited about the result. I also get easily passionate about their business and I want to see them succeed at the same time as I do.
Q What are you working on right now?
It is very busy at the moment. I am working with a couple of women entrepreneurs in the yoga and wellness space, some of them are just launching their business and I am so excited to work on their brand identity and see it come alive. I am also working with a nightlife collective, creating posters and social media assets, and a fashion brand which is refreshing its brand image to position itself as a luxury product.
Q What’s your style?
I believe in minimal “design systems” - how I like to call them. A design system is composed by a defined set of colors, typeface/s, logo/s, and look & feel. If used in a cohesive manner, these design elements allow to create brand recognition. I strive to create design systems that are elegant, timeless, and unique, avoiding graphic design trends. I wouldn’t want my clients to worry about having a brand refresh every couple of years.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I very much enjoy film photography. I have rotated different film cameras and while I’ve shot my best photography with a second hand Nikkormat, I am looking for a lighter and more versatile one to bring around more often. I shoot the most when I am on vacation but I would like to make it more of a habit and collect moments of daily life. New York especially is full of interesting scenes to capture.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Time. Oh how much I’ve wished for more hours in a day. I know the issue is not time but my own perception of it, I definitely try to squeeze too many things in one day. I am also very careful about my mental and physical health. Sleep, meditation, and daily movement are non negotiable for me, and these take time!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
An assistant. 100%. As a freelancer I need to take care of all sides of the business (+ personal life). I wouldn’t mind spending more time on the creative part while someone else is dealing with client communication, invoicing, PR, and overall organization. Although when I’m on a creative block, these activities are a nice distraction.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I am not a regrets kind of person, I think everything serves its purpose and leads us to the right direction, mistakes are always lessons and experience is what makes us unique. But if I have to say something, I’d go all the way back to when I was a 5 year old kid, hug that little me and tell her she is perfect the way she is. It would have probably saved me a bunch of therapy sessions.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I am a very curious human, I would want to have a table full of experts in different fields. Right now I would love to have a mentor by my side, someone that is an acclaimed art director and can give me insights at every step of my journey toward my vision. It would be great to have guidance about best business practices, nourishing creativity, and building confidence.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I studied Fashion Marketing and Communication, creatively direct Fashion campaigns would be the dream.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I can only speak from past experience. The client I enjoy working with the most is someone who is kind and caring beyond the scope of work. I also appreciate jobs that are dynamic, one thing leading to another, expanding past the original brief. It has allowed me to gain experience in different areas beyond graphic design. For example, I am currently producing a photoshoot for a client that originally hired me for a brand image refresh.
Q: What is your rate?
I have an hourly rate of $60/hour but I usually estimate the amount of hours needed for a project and propose a flat rate.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Shoot me an email at indiasambuy@gmail.com, tell me who you are, how you found me and what you are looking for. If I’m your girl, I will be happy to schedule an intro call !
Q Who is a creative you admire?
A selection of creative people I admire: @adam_ridgeway - graphic designer @purienne - photographer @Julianasalazar - stylist @affectionarchives - substack @joannahalpin - model
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Constantly Learning
This member profile was originally published in October 2024.