To REX clients and our community, it’s bittersweet for me to announce that I’ll be departing from REX Marketing + Design and pursuing a new career opportunity.
The Next Chapter
The exciting part of this news is that I have been presented with an opportunity to work with a brand that aligns with my core values. I’ll be moving on to DUER, a clothing company that specializes in creating outerwear that people can use for multiple functions. This concept allows people to own fewer items, in turn reducing the manufacturing impact on our planet. Being someone who cycles 25 km to work, it’s almost as if this brand was made specifically for me.
DUER is a rapidly growing brand, so I have an opportunity there to shape the visual direction it will take. My “WHY” for becoming a designer has always been to challenge the way society perceives the world and offer fresh new perspectives. Being a part of a company that is changing the way we look at fashion consumption allows me the opportunity to execute my “WHY.”
Celebrating What I’ve Gained and Where I’m Going
The wealth of experiences REX provided me has taught me to approach each project with an open and curious mind. Starting a project in a state of intense observation arms me with a holistic understanding of the subject that I’m designing. This allows me to take my work in dynamic directions that remain true to the essence of the client. REX holds this philosophy as a cornerstone to everything we do, which has helped shaped my mindset for every project I now work on. Obviously, I already have my own ideas for DUER, but I’ll never forget the methodology REX instilled in me.
In the next couple of years, I see myself growing into the Art Director role at DUER. This will require me to gain a thorough understanding of the retail world. At REX, our clients are primarily service-based, so the learning curve will be quite steep as I get accustomed to the clothing industry. Ultimately, I’m really looking to develop my abilities as the leader of a creative team. I’m so excited to collaborate with junior designers that I can mentor but also learn from!
Reflecting on my 4.5 Year Journey with REX
My journey at REX has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Having started with the company in its early days, I feel as though I have grown in tandem with the agency. As our client list expanded, so did my role as REX’s lead designer. From day one, Allison established a work environment that allowed me to explore and challenge my creative capabilities with every new project. My teammates constantly provided me with exciting new insight into the world of marketing, helping me to grow not just as a designer but as a strategist, as well. Thanks to the 4.5 years spent learning from my REX family, I feel as though I’ve been equipped to step into a leadership role in my field of graphic design.
One of the most memorable highlights from my time at REX would be the ALLWays Local video shoot – when we got to be on set for the production of a video commercial. Watching our concept that we developed over an intense creative brainstorm come to life before our very eyes was absolutely wild. I can’t wait to see the final product when it’s launched! The all-nighter shoot was also an incredible team-building experience, ending in a bunch of sleep-deprived delusional marketers eating pancakes at 7:30 in the morning.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from my time at REX is how to be an impactful leader. Everyone on the team I worked with at one point or another showed me a new layer of what it means to be a good leader. Before coming to REX, I had never really had the opportunity to work in a group environment, so my understanding of leadership was incredibly limited to say the least. Luckily Allison dedicated so much of her precious time and energy into developing each one of us into leaders who truly give a shit about the people they are leading. In my new role at DUER, I’ll be leading a growing team of junior designers which means there will be plenty of opportunities for me to embody all 21 “laws of leadership” that I learned at REX.
The thing I’m going to miss most is the team. I feel so fortunate to have spent the last 4 and half years working with such inspiring people. Watching everyone’s passion and dedication towards the work we do was electric. No matter how challenging a project appeared to be, I always knew that every member of the team had my back no matter what. This powerful sense of comradery pushed my creative work to heights I had never even imagined. Not only are my colleagues inspiring, but they are a bloody good time. The memories of our office shenanigans, cultural celebrations, mid-week lunchtime cocktails are something I will treasure forever.
A Message to REX Clients
To all our wonderful clients at REX, it was an honour working alongside you to craft how your brands would be presented to the world. Coming into this role, I didn’t realize what a highlight it would be interacting with business owners on a creative level. The energy in the room during our client meetings always left me fueled to deliver visuals that would leave a lasting impact. Looking back on REX’s sprawling portfolio of projects, I can honestly say I’m proud of every single one.
I’ve collaborated very closely with Nicole at REX on creative projects over the past few years and I look forward to seeing all of your brands continue to evolve and grow in the future with Nicole continuing the work (and even more expansion to REX’s creative team and skillset coming soon!). I may be leaving, but REX will always be a source of bustling creativity; I promise you are in good hands.
Sincerely,
Christian Jones