December 10, 2024
AJ Wiley, a 2020 graphic design graduate, found liberation in creating on social media, in his designs and embodying “child-like curiosity” in his work. After pursuing entrepreneurship with his brand Kumawave, AJ landed his dream role at The North Face as an apparel graphic designer. What started as a series of videos on Instagram became a launching pad for his career.
You are an apparel graphic designer at The North Face. Can you explain what this role entails and some of your favorite designs?
I got hired as the graphic designer for the Americas Region which means that I’m responsible for graphic programs that satisfy the markets in North, Central and South America. This entails creating graphics for men’s, women’s and youth apparel and spans across our retail stores, outlets and online. Unfortunately, I don’t have any graphics on the market yet as we work a few seasons ahead. Stay tuned!
Take us through the journey of graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the pandemic, starting your own brand and now working your dream job.
It was such a wild time when I look back on it. The transition out of college felt small compared to the transition to the pandemic. As hard as it was, it was a blessing in disguise because I had a lot of time on my hands. I chose to spend my time building a social media presence and would post up to five times a day. I felt free as there was no outside pressure. This led to me creating my own brand, Kumawave, where I learned the different parts of an outdoor apparel business. Through the brand, I released 10 drops in 3 years and closed shop in October of 2023. To start the following year, I decided to go all in on my freelance business through social media. January 15 was when my life changed. One of my Instagram posts started to go viral and within a month, I got my dream job at The North Face.
Prior to your role at The North Face, you took your talents to social media, starting a series coined ‘If The North Face Let Me Design Their Tees.’ What propelled you to take your work online, and what opportunities did social media provide you both personally and professionally?
In 2020 I read a book by Gary Vee, and I remember feeling liberated. It freed me up to really invest in my career through social media. Sharing your work can feel deeply personal and it can inhibit people from trying. I believe that the moment that I gave myself permission to try, my whole perspective changed. I started to have creative ideas like my brand concepts series for The North Face and people started to join in on my journey. As I continued to post, I started to gain exposure and get freelance projects which allowed me to create a living out of it. It felt like such an exciting time for me.
Who or what inspired you to pursue creating, and specifically your love for nature illustrations?
I have a distinct memory of seeing Sam Larson’s nature illustration and feeling captivated by it. I had grown in my love for the outdoors over my college years and gradually felt a passion for illustration. I like to joke that my ‘life drawing’ class was my least favorite, but it made the biggest impact on me. Spending three hours in a class drawing really grew my skill for drawing.
You mention believing in carving time each week to create things “freely.” How do you continue to grow as a professional in a creative and competitive industry?
Without getting too philosophical, I believe that tapping into ‘child-like’ curiosity is key to creativity. As we get older, we tend to suppress that part of us because we don’t want to come up with stupid ideas. BUT maybe a genius idea is a couple of ideas away from your bad idea. Or from an artistic sense, maybe a great piece of work is behind a couple of frustrating drawings. Being in a competitive industry, you need to be innovative and that requires a level of protection over your creativity. Setting aside time to just ‘play’ and create whatever you’re thinking about can inform the times you create with an objective.
How did your involvements and studies here at Nebraska prepare you for a career in graphic design?
The structure of the design and art classes included plenty of class critiques. The practice of hearing feedback made taking criticism easier and more productive. My job requires a high level of criticism and it’s an ‘art’ to not hold too tight to what we make in the design world. I can think of plenty of times that I struggled with feedback but it’s a muscle you grow over time to let go and do what’s best for the business.
What was your favorite memory during your time at Nebraska?
I was an intern for the Nebraska Football Creative team and that was an awesome job. When I look back, helping out on game days was my favorite. The energy on Saturdays was unmatched in Lincoln.
Was there someone at Nebraska that had a significant impact on you?
Orah Garst. He was my boss when I worked for the Nebraska Football creative team. His kindness and belief in me had lasting impacts on me. He had a rare talent of encouraging the people he led and fostering their creativity.
What would you tell current students, or recent graduates, who are working hard to land their dream job?
I would encourage current students on a few things:
1. The first step to attaining my dream job was diving into what my dream even was. Sometimes we can come up with something vague and that can make it difficult. HOWEVER, don’t be afraid to change your dream and follow your gut. It’s not too late to change it.
2. Connect, connect, connect. A big part of my strategy was reaching out to people in the industry and getting my name out there. Find a brand you love and find people on LinkedIn and connect with them.
3. Be patient. Your journey will look nothing like someone else’s so don’t get stuck in the trap of comparison. It took me 4 years of constantly posting, connecting, and applying for jobs before I got mine. If you love the process, the timeline becomes less important!
