ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN
My name is Malina Mikami, and I’m a graphic designer specializing in editorial design, packaging design, and visual identities. I believe design is most powerful when it balances form and meaning, simplifying complex ideas so that every detail has a purpose and function. My focus is on creating work that connects on both a practical and expressive level—designs that communicate beyond words and resonate with people emotionally and intuitively.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD? EITHER TODAY OR HISTORICALLY?
I truly look up to my peers in the design field, whose unique approaches, willingness to experiment, and commitment to collaboration and community continuously push me to expand my own creative boundaries.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, LISTENING TO, WATCHING?
I’ve been listening to the audiobook Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, which has profoundly informed me on the interconnectedness of life through the lens of mycelium networks, deepening my understanding of how nature’s systems can inspire more sustainable and collaborative design practices.
DO YOU FEEL THAT DESIGN SCHOOL HAS PREPARED YOU TO SEARCH FOR AND FIND A JOB?
Of course, yes, design school has prepared me for a job, but it has also profoundly shaped my personal growth, teaching me to approach design not just as a profession, but as a way to connect, inspire, and make a meaningful impact on the world.
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?
Nature, personal and cultural stories, DIY culture, textures, audiobooks, philosophy, biomimicry, music, thoughtful and evocative art, analog processes, sustainability.
