Her Campus: Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What are your general professional and non-professional interests?
Lawrence Murray: Hi, I’m Lawrence. I’m 20 years old and I’m from Hinesville, Georgia. I’m a freelance graphic designer, web designer, and photographer. Of course I go to SCAD majoring in Motion Media Design with a minor in Film & Television.
HC: So I hear you’re rebranding yourself. Going from Buy Lawrence to Genius Aestheics… What’s the story behind that, and what inspired you to merge your graphic design talent with the world of fashion and street style?
LM: Like I said I’m a freelance designer, and for the past few years I’ve been under the brand of ‘Buy Lawrence’ and I’ve kind of outgrown that. I’ve been in the process of rebranding myself under the Genius Aesthetics brand. Genius Aesthetics is my creative company, so I like to call it. Which merges my creative design services with my film production.
I’ve always wanted to do an apparel line, so I figured that with the rebranding of Buy Lawrence to Genius Aesthetics, it would be the perfect time to launch this line. I’m really utilizing this apparel line as a marketing tool, to kind of get my brand out there. Right now we have some cool apparel that showcases more of the logo, but definitely in the future I plan on doing more apparel that incorporates more typography, photography, and graphics. Doing this is just a great medium to get my work out there,
HC: When did you realize you wanted to enter the world of fashion and what was the first article of clothing you created a design for?
LM: I can recall wanting to do an apparel line way back in middle school when I first started getting into graphic design. However I didn’t have the resources and funds that I do now. And honestly timing is everything; my designs would have looked like crap if I had done it back then.
The first design that I did for this line was the graphic tee with my face on it. I randomly showed it to a friend and the first thing they said was “I would definitely wear that”. Which was a shock to me. I thought who wants to walk around with my handsome face on a shirt? Then I showed it to a few more friends and I kept getting similar reactions.
HC: Who are some of your favorite designers, both fashion and non-fashion)?
LM: In fashion honestly I’m not into names. I probably have designer clothes and don’t even know it. I just like what looks good, but I do buy a lot of clothes from Zara. Some of my favorite non-fashion designers are Gavin Taylor and Scott Grossman.
HC: How would you describe your personal style and aesthetic?
LM: In regards to fashion, I have repetitive phases. I go back and forth through urban street wear, to the daily semi-casual, to more of a modern 90s west coast look. It really all depends on how I am feeling.
HC: Where do you get your inspiration?
LM: Music. When I listen to music I see colors. I see textures and different color palettes. So music is a very important part of my process.
HC: What matters most to you as a designer?
LM: Execution.
HC: How would you define the style that Genius Aesthetics exemplifies?
LM: Color! I like vibrancy and I try to incorporate that in all of my designs. Whether it be one color, a specific color palette, or even black and white. I try to incorporate vibrancy through my designs.
HC: What are some things that you like and dislike about designing?
LM: I like designing. I like using my brain and figuring how to arrange different elements. I like happy clients. However I don’t like dealing with people sometimes. Every now and again I’ll get a client whose knowledge of graphic design extends to Microsoft Paint. I could come up with an exceptional design, of course that might need a few revisions,
HC: What advice do you have for aspiring designers?
LM: Be yourself. There is no right or wrong way of designing. Art is totally subjective. However, educate yourself. Learn the principles and elements of design so you can have an effective design. Outside of that, create what looks good to you and be confident in that.
HC: Where can readers find out more about you and your work?
LM: www.geniusaesthetics.com We’re launching May 5th officially. You can buy some of the apparel, get a look at my portfolio, as well as get information on my creative design services. Follow me on twitter @geniusaesthetic. Everything else (tumblr, instagram, and facebook) is geniusaesthetics.