Alberto CABRERA LUNA

1. What was your very first job ?

As a designer, my first job was during my last year of university, a teacher enrolled me in a small-size retail design studio in Mexico City working for brands like L'Oréal, Coca-Cola and other mexican big companies. It lasted around one and a half years before I quit to pursue a drummer career in a rock band. 

2.  Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.

I am a freelance art director, for the last 15 years my experience has mainly been in the field of luxury, but also in the domains of art, editorial and music.

Currently, I work part time for the in-house studio of Pernod Ricard's luxury entity: Martell Mumm Perrier-Jouët (MMPJ) where I play several roles, principally I develop and mock-up concepts for international still life and lifestyle campaigns, research and recommend the artistic talent to produce it, and oversee the production and the proper delivery of the final assets. On a different role, at the studio we also develop guidelines to frame the visual identity of each of the houses, to inspire internal marketing teams but also to brief and inspire external teams (creatives, agencies, production houses, etc.); subsequently I also make sure that those codes are respected by overviewing the production of visuals trusted to external providers. And before it gets too long, I am also an occasional commercial photographer, and for MMPJ during the last two years I have been in charge of the visual guidelines and content of the members-only club of champagne RSRV.

3.  How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Was there a train of events that brought you where you are today?

For me, it all began with music, when I was 16 I created my first band, I think that made me realize I liked being in an artistic industry.

Before that, when I was an early primary school kid, I used to draw color copies of ancient drawings of aztec and mayan gods until I learned them by memory with great fidelity and detail. Then I realized that others, including some teachers at school, appreciated them and encouraged me to push this thing I had with analyzing, memorizing and drawing.

When I moved to France 15 years ago, departing Mexico with no clear plan, I had the luck to meet and start working with Surface to Air (the fashion brand and creative studio) and for the next 10 years it became the best intense and creative process I could have ever imagined, until it had to close its doors on 2015.

4. In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?

Every new project is an opportunity and a challenge to discover new territories of innovation and relevance. For me, every new idea is born from a combination of the past, the present and the future: you need to know your aesthetics history but you also need to stay informed of current and upcoming trends; not only in our industry, but also, and most importantly I would argue, in many subjects like social, nature, politics, etc.

5.  If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation rather than its recognition or industry "success," what would it be?

I'm very proud of the last GH Mumm campaigns that I did with photographers (ex)couple Image Group (Adrien Toubiana and Thomas Cristiani). It was at the same time a very simple idea but very innovative in the way we shot the campaigns, and that made the whole difference. 

6. Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of and why? Which of these disciplines are you most interested in seeing at CONNECTIONS? (ie photo, film, production, social, experiential, vr, cgi, animation etc)

Still life and lifestyle photography, CG artists, set designers and film and animation directors and artists.