I want to talk about Brandon Wang and his company, BlankedStudios, in this post since they are a young person using social media to share his journey in the design industry. Let’s learn how to launch a design brand from scratch
TikTok has completely changed the way that the fashion, food, and music sectors operate. Influencers are ushering in a new era of marketing and influencing people’s attitudes. What about design, though? Design in the context of goods derived from deliberate ideas is what I mean when I talk about design, not ornate interiors or pointless styling tips.
I’ve studied and practiced design my entire life as a skilled professional. But occasionally, we have a tendency to take certain things for granted, which could cause us to miss out on something fresh or arising from unorthodox sources.
In the realm of design, up-and-coming talent usually takes the traditional route: obtaining a degree in design (furniture, product, or industrial), then putting on solo exhibitions, which eventually lead to studio work or starting one’s own.
If one chooses a different path, like working for a corporation, designers join a team and find it difficult to be recognized as up-and-coming talent. This conventional method has been in use since the 1980s. We could hope to follow in the footsteps of Marc Newson, who began by creating and designing his first works. A Japanese gallerist bought them, and he went on to become well-known after his work appeared in print magazines with an emphasis on architecture and design.
Still, these days the landscape is very different.
Of course, nothing stops someone from trying this old-fashioned approach and possibly making it work. However, the majority of designers are actually going down this well-trod path.What happens if everyone follows the same course?There is too much competition in the field, and very few people are able to succeed.
24-year-old Canadian resident Brandon Wang (see his TikTok account) started out as a photographer and videographer while pursuing a degree in UX/UI design. He established BlankedStudios to create and market his clothing as a side venture, akin to launching a clothing fashion company.
His distinctive branded blue attire gave him a striking street flair as he approached the enterprise. Still, the reaction was muted.
Unfazed, he added to his collection by doing something he had been thinking about for a while: making home décor pieces.
Shortly after (a year may not seem like much to a millennial, but it’s a lot to someone in their early years), he debuted his first design, which was an immediate hit. It’s not a particularly complex design, but everything about it, from the exquisite shape to the flawless polish to the captivating storyline and the outstanding packaging, was expertly done. Brandon gave a walkthrough of the complete procedure, including ideation, modifications, obtaining supplies, and delivery. His creation was rapidly sold out.
This nontraditional method offers a fresh perspective, free from the prejudices that befall people who haven’t been involved in the design industry from the beginning. In actuality, this seemingly small variation has enormous significance.
Outsiders distinguish themselves from others who are well-established in the design business with their distinct viewpoint and approach.
With a few notable exceptions, the design field has become rather static due to the proliferation of clichés about “how things should be made” that are fostered by traditional career routes. Even for seemingly simple products like a clothes hanger, ideas like “form follows function” and “user-centric design” have become standard.
When someone like Brandon steps onto the scene, bringing with him experiences from different fields, he forges his own route and produces outcomes that conventional designers frequently fail to accomplish. His experience imbues his designs with deep significance, eye appeal, and innate creativity—all without the complicated design theories that end users might not understand.
This is similar to the music industry, where seasoned performers write elaborate pieces for specialized audiences, while up-and-coming artists compose music that is ostensibly straightforward but is actually very skilled and encourages real interaction.
The internet has made it possible for different fields to take inspiration from a wider range of sources, resulting in a fusion of cultures and methods. The work that Brandon is producing demonstrates a new trend in independent design.
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