Occupation: Creative Director/Designer of Chella Hangs Studio
The beginnings of Chella Hangs Studio…
How did the studio come to be?
Chella Hangs Studio is something I have had going in the background for a while - it started as a space to share my creativity and personal projects. I had always wanted to work for myself but taking the leap from a full time role to potentially only working a few hours a week was far too scary for me. That was until the company I was working for closed down and I was left with a decision. It was just the push I needed (along with some persuasion and supportive pep talks from my partner) to take a leap and go out on my own. It was then that CHS was formed into what it is today, a multifaceted creative agency - focusing on Creation, Direction and Design.
Where did the confidence come from to go out on your own?
The confidence to go out on my own definitely didn't appear overnight… Previous to CHS, I had worked a lot of different roles - when I finished my BDes at uni, I honestly had no clue what career path I wanted to go down, leading me to take on a variety of roles from visual merchandising, fashion PR and account management to pattern-making clothing and of course social media and graphic design. At the time I felt a bit like a failure having tried so many different careers but now I see it as some of the best decisions I could have made. It's provided me with a wealth of experience in so many different facets and fields. Upon reflection, I would have gone out on my own sooner, but only a year or two sooner. Before then I still had a lot of growing up to do. Now, I'm a lot more confident in myself and my abilities which has been really key in going out on my own.
How big a part does self-belief, play into your successes?
I think the importance of belief is 100% needed in any field, especially creative. Doubting yourself is sometimes the biggest hurdle you have to overcome, even if you know deep down that you have the skills and ability to complete, or even start, a project. Of course knowledge and skill are needed over just believing in yourself - I guess they all work together to help you along the way.
Entering your 30’s…
As you step into your 30's , how have your career priorities shifted?
Coming into my 30's, I did have mixed emotions. Something I thought pre 30 was that it seemed so old (I no longer think that ha) and I felt like you really had to have everything planned and sorted out in order to be that age. Being self employed is a motivation in itself, everything I do has to be perfect or something I'm immensely proud of as I'm just letting myself (or my clients) down at the end of the day if it's not. The downside of this is that I feel like I'm always on, there's always something to do and sometimes I do feel guilty having down time. I have spent majority of the past 3 years working on my clients brand image, socials, design etc and I am starting to put a little more time and effort into my personal "image", which is an exciting step for me, and is something that is helping me keep my drive and work/ life balance.
Trends come and go, but what is one content creation tip you can share that will never go out of style
Something in terms of design, in my opinion, that will never go out of style is direction. A piece can be beautifully shot, styled or edited but if it has no direction or relevance to the brand or individual behind it, then it becomes a bit pointless. Quality is also a big one. I'm seeing a lot of UGC or EGC (employee generated content) style content lately which is refreshing and makes social media more relatable for the viewer and more accessible for smaller brands with little to no creative budget, but I think you still need to have a creative eye and an understanding of visual principles in order to make this "casual" style of content look as intended - and not poorly executed.
What’s something you live by, something you wish others knew?
"Whatever you're not changing, you're choosing." I came across this quote a few months ago, it really stuck with me and is something I will be putting into practice. I like how you can interpret it in different ways - it can be jarring or inspiring. Incidentally, last week in Sydney, I was at Body by Berner, a pilates studio and they handed out affirmation cards after the class. I was absolutely shocked when I turned mine over to see this very quote - it gave me goosebumps! The universe works in mysterious ways.
And last but not least, favourite Buttermilk accessory?
I am a serial hair tie misplacer - so I've discovered having beautiful silk scrunchies is the perfect solution as I am a lot more mindful of where I take them off and put them down. The Grace Carry All Bag in Rose Petal is an absolute must, it fits so much! And I always have my Tori comb in my beach bag.
