Lady San Pedro is a talented visual designer whose creative journey began at the age of four. Her passion for typography and graphic design has evolved into a multifaceted career that spans countries, industries, and disciplines. In this interview, Lady shares her experiences, challenges, and insights on balancing creativity with life’s demands.

Discovering a Lifelong Passion for Design

Lady’s creative journey started early, sparked by a childhood fascination with her father’s design books. By the age of four, she was enthralled by typography, graphic, and packaging design. “My dad gave me dry-transfer letter sets and other materials to play with, and I’ve nurtured a lifelong love for visual design ever since,” she recalls. This early exposure to creative tools laid the foundation for her future career as a designer.

Sources of Inspiration

Lady’s work is inspired by an eclectic mix of influences: photography, cultural heritage, film, architecture, fashion, interior design, visual arts, psychology, lyrics, and languages. “We are so lucky to live in this day and age where inspiration is so easy to access,” she remarks, noting the vast well of resources that fuel her creativity.

Challenges in the Creative Field

Like many creatives, Lady has encountered challenges along her journey. “Creative work can be undervalued, underpaid, and misunderstood,” she explains. Having worked across various disciplines and collaborated with brands and teams from around the world, she has learned that the main difficulties often revolve around negotiating creative decisions and compensation.

Overcoming Creative Blocks

Lady’s approach to creative blocks is refreshingly honest. “Sometimes, I overcome them like a champ! Other times, like a failure.” She emphasizes the human aspect of creativity, acknowledging that not every project or day will be perfect. “We all have crap work behind the scenes,” she says, reminding fellow creatives that it’s okay to experience ups and downs.

Advice for Aspiring Creatives

For those entering the creative field, Lady offers valuable advice:

1. Be strategic: If you need to earn a living from your craft, hone your creative skills alongside practical ones like networking, marketing, and negotiation.
2. Break the rules: If you don’t rely on your craft for income, have fun and explore without boundaries. And if you’re lucky enough to be a rockstar who breaks all the rules and gets paid for it—go for it!

Future Goals

Having worked across different countries, startups, agencies, and both big and small brands, Lady is now looking to focus on projects that align more closely with her personal style and values. “In the age of AI, personality matters more than ever,” she notes, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in her future work.

Creative Influences

Fashion illustrators Jordi Labanda and Bo Lundberg have had a lasting impact on Lady’s creative style. “I’ve been a fan of their work since my early teens,” she shares, underscoring how their art has inspired her over the years.

Balancing Creativity with Life

Lady is fortunate to work in a hybrid environment that values both business and individual needs. “Saving 1.5 hours on a day you would otherwise be commuting means more time for hobbies, ideas, and recharging,” she explains. Flexibility is key for her, especially during periods when both personal and professional demands pull her in different directions.

Favorite Project: Toyo Eatery

One of Lady’s proudest accomplishments is designing the logo for Toyo Eatery, which is widely regarded as the best restaurant in the Philippines. “I’m fortunate that the founders, Jordy and May Navarra, have such a strong and unique vision that aligns with my own,” she shares. The logo has become iconic, with members of the team even wearing it as tattoos. It was awarded a silver by Graphis Inc., adding to its recognition.

Finding Balance: A Seasonal Approach

For Lady, balance is a seasonal experience. “There are periods when work is more demanding than life, and periods when life takes the lead,” she explains. Flexibility and assertiveness are her go-to strategies for maintaining equilibrium. However, even with her best efforts, there are times when balance is elusive, and she allows herself the space to feel anxious without guilt.

Stress Management and Self-Care

Exercise plays a crucial role in Lady’s stress management routine, though she admits that she’s not exactly passionate about it. “Friends and colleagues probably think I love to exercise, but I really do it for the benefits on my mind and body,” she laughs. Staying active helps her maintain a positive mood, especially when the external world feels uncontrollable.

Her self-care routine is varied, but she consistently takes vitamins, journals over coffee, and incorporates pilates, pole dance, or ballet into her week. “My hair is so high-maintenance!” she jokes, reflecting her attention to personal well-being, even in the midst of a busy life.

Mindfulness and Perfectionism

When asked about mindfulness, Lady offers a unique perspective. “I don’t consider myself mindful at all, and I like to believe that’s okay!” She finds value in both living in the moment and contemplating the past or future, rejecting the idea that mindfulness has to be constant. Quoting Oscar Wilde, she says, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

Perfectionism is one of her biggest challenges when it comes to finding balance. “Every day or week won’t be perfectly balanced, and that’s okay. I try not to feel guilty on off days or weeks, especially when I’m sick,” she explains. However, if imbalance persists, she takes the time to recalibrate.

Setting Boundaries and Gaining Confidence

Setting boundaries is a skill Lady has honed with age and experience. “The nature of your relationships greatly impacts how your time and energy are spent,” she notes. Professionally, she’s become more adept at navigating boundaries by learning to work well with different people.

With balance comes consistency, and with consistency comes confidence. Lady feels that maintaining a good work-life balance gives her better control over her time, allowing her to prepare and deliver more effectively. “Feeling confident about my work and life is a fabulous feeling,” she shares.

Advice for Finding Balance

For those struggling to find balance, Lady’s advice is simple: “Practice makes perfect!” It takes time to develop a system that works for you, but the rewards are worth the effort.

Connect with Lady San Pedro

To explore Lady’s work and learn more about her creative journey, visit her website at ladysanpedro.com.

Lady San Pedro’s career is a testament to the power of adaptability, creativity, and balance. From her early fascination with typography to her current role in shaping iconic designs, she continues to inspire others with her thoughtful approach to life and work.