I suppose a lot of the time I am expressing things in order to fill a certain hole in the context of what I do (that is, to blatantly express I am a particular way in order to fit myself into designland). But if I am to be perfectly honest with myself, there certainly are things that collate and create who I am as a designer. If I can call myself that at all, as I am really only a student.
Thinking about that though, brings me to recalling a conversation I had not long ago. My friend is a Graphic Design graduate. I was recently debating with him over whether he considered himself to be an artist or designer. He replied "Well, I'm really neither, because I haven't achieved work in either field". He paused a second and finished with "I suppose I'm a forklift driver".
This was both amusing and disconcerting, and brought me to the perspective that as long as you still do things, for paid work or otherwise, you can still align yourself with that skill. I will always feel as though I am a Designer, whether I work in that field or whether I have thrown my dreams to the wind and sit bumbling behind a desk somewhere, gnawing pen lids as I enter data absentmindedly into a whirring computer monitor.**
The same thing applies to having a vested interest in current issues in fashion itself and other spheres. You seem to be able to convince yourself that you don't really have a stance on something because you simply hadn't considered it in your practice, however you cannot accept that you don't have a stance at all once you know.
I suppose I am trying to express my newfound understanding of truly having ones own ethos, because a philosophy appears to be an intangible constant in design; unwavering yet adaptable.
Nice piece of verbose waffle that was, but at least I'm warming up a little.
**Please, should you ever find me in that position, bludgeon me to death with a stapler or other blunt instrument readily to hand!!
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