I was quite extroverted when I was a kid. My grandpa has tons of tapes of me and my cousin putting on shows every summer for the entire family. I’d never do that now. And I used to constantly chat in class, I was quick to say what I thought all the time. As I grow older, I feel like I'm on the opposite side. I have no problem challenging an idea, arguing about things that I disagree with, but I only take part in the conversation when I feel like I have something to say. 

I always knew I was going to be a designer. We didn't have art classes at my high school in France, but I did loads on the side. My parents were very supportive. They are not designers, but they're very interested in design, the objects in their house are very nicely curated. They educated us in architecture, painting, visual arts. They started taking me to drawing classes, then as I got older they took me to the open days at the École Nationale Supérieure des Art Décoratifs, an Art School in Paris. Just as a weekend activity, like going to a museum, to see the work. 

If teenage me could see me now, I think they would be surprised. I wanted to be a pure graphic designer back then, but my work at Flying Object is really varied. I do a bit of design, a little bit of creative direction, anything visual, flexing different creative muscles based on what needs to be done. I like that my work is not bound to one single thing. People with one very particular creative talent fascinate me. Especially in music. I've never played music, so I don't understand how you can pick up an instrument and just come up with a melody on the spot. For some people I think it really is a gift, where it almost feels easy. I don't have that. But also, I've chosen not to specialise in one specific thing and master it. I like to explore lots of different things, take each opportunity as it comes.

I refer to one of my friends as a rare Pokemon, he is so good at everything he tries. Music, production, design: everything he decides to try, he sees through to a point of real success, then pivots. His sensibility is really inspiring to me. It feeds my ambition, makes me want to take a few more risks. He works really hard for his ventures though, he really commits to the work that goes into them. It sounds a bit cliche, but I think that’s right. It's about putting the work in. That's how you end up with things you are really proud of, you constantly have to work towards higher standards. 

Work is a big part of my life, because there's passion in it. I'm not sure I would feel the same way if I wasn't in a creative industry. I think that’s the same with a lot of people: we do it because we are passionate about it. So it's fine to be working until late at night on that song, or that painting or whatever. You really get into it, because there is passion behind it. 

As I get older, I listen a lot more. Maybe speaking a different language impacted that. When I moved to the UK from France, I could not speak English as well as I do now. It took me a while, I had to sit back and pay attention. I guess it's quite a shift from putting on the show, but as you grow and you progress through your career, there's always new things that need to be considered and learned or relearned. So it’s one of my strengths. I also think I'm more curious than I was. I want to try different things, use different creative muscles, and take on new challenges. No matter the project, I want to tackle it all.