Jim BLETSAS

What was your very first job? What does it feel like to look back at it now? 

I started as a street seller, but my first serious job was working for Emperor design consultants. 

Looking back everything has been valuable — learning from everything and everyone. Your ego is not your amigo and why wait to be told what to do get on with it. 

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

My current job is Head of Design for Lucky Generals and Creative Director for Lucky studios (our design dept). I also work and look after Dark horses (sports marketing agency).

The work is very different daily and needs different approaches. I have an excellent team with varied skills, so that makes my job easier. 

How did you discover that the creative world is right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Which train of events did bring you to where you are?

I grew up in South Africa born in Johannesburg and moved to a small mining town called Vryheid when I was 8. My mum encouraged me to be a watercolour artist and along with sport these where the only things that I enjoyed. Being half Greek, I spent most summers in Greece where I become obsessed with The Face magazine and music. I left South Africa to go to the military in Greece ( after school), after doing my service I become a street seller and sold jewellery on the beaches and islands. I met a girl, and she lived in London. I just wanted to go to the place that created all these things I fell in love with. She had a friend that worked at Emperor design consultants, and I asked if I could go without pay to see what they did. After the first week, I got given a job. 

After that, I did a variety of jobs as I didn’t know what I wanted to do (I didn’t realise design meant so many things). I got introduced to AMV and fell in love with advertising work. I was then lucky enough to work at Mother and met some incredible people. Which brought me to Lucky Generals!

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

For me, inspiration comes from people and how they go about their work. Design in an expression of personality and thought so meeting new people brings inspiration. 

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

Ministry of Letters with Al Maccuish (Mother), Adidas (Mcgarry) Look Up with Gilles Peterson and TimeTo (Lucky Generals)