From Music Videos to magier: Julie's Journey

Julie joined magier after years of splitting her time between in-house roles and freelance work across Paris, Japan, and now Bangkok. She never followed a traditional design track. Instead, she built her skills and her client list on her own, taking on everything from branding work to projects for major music artists. For Julie, creativity and independence go hand in hand with her personality: moving abroad on her own twice, building her career independently, and constantly putting herself in new environments have all called for a strong mindset and a lot of self-reliance. Her path to magier is less about one straight line and more about staying independent, curious, and open to wherever the work took her.

This is her story, and we are privileged to share it with you!

Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your journey before joining magier?

I'm Julie, originally from France. I'm currently based in Bangkok, but before that I spent a few years living in Japan, and before that I was in Paris.

My journey so far has been a mix of in-house and freelance work. During my time at Revolut, I had to put freelance at pause to focus on that role. But outside of it, I've stayed independent, taking on out-of-the-box projects like music videos. Having both meant I never really felt frustrated, because I always had the best of both worlds.

What did you study?

I went to the university to study design, but it was mostly theory. Around the same time, I started taking on freelance projects, and that's really where I built my portfolio, my clients, and my actual skills. I was about 19 when I started developing all of that in parallel with my studies.

From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to do something creative. But I loved everything, so it took a while to narrow it down. I started with photography and cinema with a camera in my hands, and moved into design from there, entirely on my own. Nobody ever really taught me how to open or use design software; the practical side of my design education was self-taught from the start.

What made you choose magier?

The chance to be part of a team of designers with great kinship is what drew me towards magier.

During my demo week at magier, I realized everyone has their own specialty. If there was a specific design task where I lacked the expertise, someone else from the team would chime in to help me out. I also got the chance to do the same. That kind of support is something I really value, and that convinced me to stay.

What does a typical day look like for you? Any particular task that you find fun or challenging?

My mornings are usually quiet and focused, thanks to the timezone differences with my team. And that works out perfectly, since our stand-up happens during my lunch break. This means I already have a clear plan for the afternoon and can flag anything I need feedback on.

I work with Matt, and he prepares everything so well for my tickets that by the time I wake up, there's often an automated message from him already waiting on Slack. It's a small thing, but it makes the mornings feel less isolating.

How does being based in Bangkok affect your work rhythm and your perspective on design?

I have lived abroad for a few years now, so I love being surrounded by a different culture. Visual norms, food, everyday life — all of it feeds into my creative inspiration in ways that are hard to replicate if you stay in one place. On the practical side, it just means staying organized around the time difference. But after all these time, I think I’ve become pretty good at it.

What's the most valuable thing you've learned since joining magier?

Feedback. Since most of the team works remotely, we don't get to see people face to face very often. So being proactive about asking for feedback matters a lot. I've learned to actively ask for input and for people's honest point of view, rather than waiting for it to come to me.

Working with different clients also requires us to constantly learn and stay flexible. New clients and projects come up regularly, s there's no settling into one brand for long. Also, the team focuses on building shared knowledge bases to maximize the quality of our work.

How would you describe the team culture at magier in three words?

Dynamic, supportive, and inspiring.

Can you share a project you're proud of?

I’ve only been here for around two months so I simply haven’t had the opportunity to build up a standout project yet.

But one project that stands out from before is a music video I worked on for S.Pri Noir, a French rap artist. It was one of my very first freelance projects, and part of why I'm proud of it is that it was such a big project to take on so early. Especially since I handled everything myself, from the art direction to the 3D.

More recently, I'd also mention my time at Revolut. I was part of a small team and was heavily involved in the redesign of the Revolut Business identity. It's nice to occasionally check in on how that identity continues to evolve, knowing I contributed to building something that has kept growing well beyond my time there

How has your role at magier helped you grow professionally or personally?

Mostly through ownership and autonomy. Working remotely means I manage a lot of my own time and priorities, and that has reinforced how I like to work and how much I value independence in my day-to-day.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining magier?

Stay curious. You'll come across new clients almost every week. So you'll never really settle into one brand book for long. Some days that means diving into a brand I don't speak the language of and translating the whole thing just to understand the product. Ask questions constantly, and don’t be afraid to ask them again. It is a part of the job.

Any resources or advice for designers who want to follow a similar path?

Don't wait for a project or opportunity to come to you. Open the software and figure things out yourself. Take one small step at a time. Progress builds over time: you might not immediately see how much you're improving, but small steps and small projects gradually build into real skills, experience, confidence, and eventually bigger opportunities.

When you're not working, what helps you unwind?

Cooking, mostly without following recipes, since I like figuring out how to pair things together on my own.  It's a nice extension of the same creativity I bring to design. My favourite Thai food right now is Tom Yum.

I've also started going to Muay Thai. This might sound intense for relaxing, but it forces me to be completely present and mentally switch off from everything else for the duration of the class.

And now, last question: if your morning coffee gave you a superpower for the day, what would it be?

Reading clients' minds directly. So much of my job as a designer is guessing which version they'll respond to, e.g.,  the safe one or the more creative one, solely based on their brief and personality. Knowing that upfront would save a lot of rounds of feedback.

But honestly, learning to read between the lines is part of what makes the job satisfying, especially when a client seems pretty traditional, and you'd expect them to prefer the safest direction, only for them to end up loving the craziest concept. Those unexpected moments are some of the most satisfying as a designer.

{{cta}}