Atieh Mohammdi – Senior Graphic Designer at Coco Republic

Being a graphic designer, Atieh loves all things creative. She draws inspiration from all the latest fashion trends and loves sharing her style on social media and telling a story visually.

How long have you been in graphic design?

I’ve been working in the industry for over four years now.

What did you study to get into graphic design?

I studied a Bachelor in Design, majoring in Visual Communication and sub-majoring in Advertising.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I always wanted to do something creative. Photography was always a big passion of mine. I went to university thinking I’d major in photography but that all changed after the first year.

What was your first job?

My first job in the creative industry was with Lux Group (they own lots of e-commerce sites). I started as an intern and worked my way up to be a creative manager for their homewares brand.

When did you first know you wanted to be a graphic designer?

When I was 12. I would take photos of my family and edit them in the old Photoshop my dad had installed on our computer. I would then make magazines out of them.

Explain a typical day at work

There are no two days the same which is why I love it. There’s a variation of image manipulation to big sales campaigns that I have to design from scratch, ie. logo’s, digital assets, organising decals and prints with suppliers.

Name the best and worst parts of your job

Best part is that I never get bored. There’s always something new and challenging to do. Worst part would probably be sitting down for most of the day. I’m a very active person so having to sit for most of the day is not very fun.

What’s the most important career tip someone has given you?

You’re never too good for any kind of work. Do it even if it’s the simplest of tasks.
It’s experience.

What do you wish someone had told you before starting as a graphic designer?

To not take it personally when your work is criticised. Took me a while to get used to it.

Where do people have to start to get into graphic design and what is a standard salary package for this role?

Any creative studies and of course the passion to get you there. You don’t have to have high qualifications. I have met people that actually don’t have any qualifications and are self-taught but have a lot of experience. I’d say the best place to start is internships. The more experience you have, the easier it is to get a job. At the end of the day, any agency looks at your experience rather than how well you did at Uni.
The standard base salary is about $40K for someone starting in the field and around $70-$80K for a senior. It can be relatively more for creative directors.

Name a career highlight

I just recently did the branding for Coco Republic’s sister site, Little Sparrow, which features fashion for kids. Definitely, a career highlight as I got to design a concept and see it come to life.

What’s next for you?

Becoming the creative director is the ultimate goal so working my way up to that.

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