Meet Jemme Aldridge, the artist behind the Jemme Peony Print. We recently talked to her about all things print & style.
What do you do?
Hi, I'm Jemme– a Creative Leader, working with global brands of style. I help brands define their purpose, bring their vision to life and connect more naturally with their audience. I also have the pleasure of being an Artist of playful, uplifting prints.
My personal mission is to democratize the language of design, so that everyone can participate in our highly visual world.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work?
Inspiring people to enjoy life.
When a person smiles because of something I’ve been part of creating, or finds self awareness through an expanded perspective I’ve provided– this is when the world feels happier and my heart feels rewarded.
The most challenging?
Social media. Keeping up with the Jones has now been replaced with keeping up with the Instagram Algorithm.
Don’t get me wrong, I Love social media and the direction we have headed toward a global “sharing” community– How cool is it that you can “heart” posts and “emoji wave” to people around the world 24/7! And through Covid-19, it has been incredible to see the impact of creative expression and connection through social media.
Yet… for me, personally maintaining the social buzz while working hard offline and taking time to enjoy life (sans tech) is a balance I continue to find challenging.
Where do you look for inspiration when designing?
When designing– Florals first! Nature is the ultimate resource.
For instance when concepting Marc Jacobs Daisy’s Limited Edition “Twinkle”– I started with nature– and discovered violet daisies! I then found myself researching references that Marc himself loves– images of the musical Hello Dolly, song lyrics from his friend Courtney Love’s song “Violet”, then… thinking of Elizabeth Taylor’s “violet eyes”…. I found inspiration in Urs Fisher’s portraits of her… all while keeping in mind the bright sparkling sunshine of the California sun (where the hero fragrance campaign was shot) – and the big idea finally became…… “Twinkle!”
What’s the last place that left you feeling inspired?
INDIA, INDIA, INDIA– In the last two years I followed my “heart calling” to Jaipur, India ( the pink city! ) I immediately fell in love with the country, its culture, people…. When visiting India, everywhere you look, your eyes are mesmerized. This inspiration has enabled me to lead groups to India, giving others the opportunity to learn the local design practices like block printing and natural dyeing.