Clint from Stradalia

Meet Clint. Self-taught graphic designer who believes in doing things just right, not fast. And sometimes, “just right” means doing things in a non-linear way, following your own path, and acknowledging that there is not one cut and paste method that will work for every designer. For Clint this eventually led to starting his own lifestyle brand, a spark inspired by classic car culture and the slow Mediterranean way of life - Stradalia.

il-lokal: Tell us about your creative background and how you started your creative journey.

Clint: I got into graphic design after designing artworks for my band at the time and it’s when I thought of the possibility to actually make a career out of it. I have been working as a graphic designer for the last 20 years now and design led me to other design disciplines and creative outputs, one of which is Stradalia.

il-lokal: What motivates you to be a designer?

Clint: It’s like an itch I need to scratch. It starts as an idea and in a way it’s almost uncomfortable,  until I actually see it take shape. This doesn’t happen overnight of course, but it starts building slowly, and I start seeing parts coming together and things start to make sense from there. If I find shortcomings with this idea, then I usually abandon it or lower its priority.

il-lokal: How did you develop your skills? What was your learning path to get to where you are presently?

Clint: The internet is my school in this regard. I didn’t receive formal education for graphic design and I acquired skills thanks to the internet. This then became my default method of learning new skills and it was no different when starting Stradalia. I knew nothing about clothing manufacturing or about starting a clothing line, but I had to start somewhere.

il-lokal: What’s your best piece of advice for someone who is just starting on their creative journey?

Clint: We all have our different journeys I suppose so I don’t think there’s one formula that works for everyone, and perhaps the best advice I can give is to actually acknowledge that. My journey was very different from other designers’, it was non-linear and I also started quite late compared to my peers. But it worked for me.

il-lokal: What would you say to someone intimidated by trying a new craft/creative discipline?

Clint: The first phases are always the hardest, but it gets easier over time. I’ve also noticed that there are so many skills that are borrowed from other disciplines. So, although it’s intimidating at the start, some familiar patterns emerge as you progress, and then it feels like “oh, I’ve done this before”.

il-lokal: Would you say you have a typical audience or customer for your work?

Clint: Stradalia combines classic car culture and Mediterranean aesthetic and the audiences float somewhere in between, I would say. There are those who are into cars and the visual references resonate with them, and then there are audiences who appreciate the aesthetic of it all.

il-lokal: How important is having an online presence to showcase and promote your work? How does it work for you?

Clint: It is extremely important. I think brands are built online these days. Online alone is not enough, but it’s where you kind of speak as a brand.

il-lokal: Where do you find inspiration? What are your go-to sources?

Clint: Considering that Stradalia’s aesthetic is also influenced by the Mediterranean landscape and way of life, this could happen anywhere. Online archives, and even Pinterest are still a go-to for me. But also stories about cars or car-related brands like the Magneti Marelli inspired t-shirt for example.

il-lokal: What are the principles that shape your practice?

Clint: Stradalia is a brand that follows a slow-paced Mediterranean lifestyle and this is something that I try to implement in the way I operate it too. There are ways of growing the brand at a much faster pace, I could be faster in shipping our products too. But fast is only for driving :)

il-lokal: Do any of your designs hold a special or personal meaning for you?

Clint: I think some of them do once they become more appreciated. In a sense, I don’t like to have a very personal affiliation with a particular design, but then once you see how people are using that design and appreciating it, it kind of gives me a fresh perspective.

il-lokal: When do you work? Is there a time of day that you prefer or something that helps you work?

Clint: I guess it depends on the task at hand. If I get an idea for a new garment for example, it almost requires immediate attention regardless of the time of day. But running Stradalia requires other tasks such as preparing orders or working with manufacturers’ needs with some scheduled time during daytime.

il-lokal: What does your support system look like?

Clint: A long time friend and a designer who I have worked with for the last 11 years, Jan, is part of the Stradalia team. Having worked together for so long makes communication much easier. But also so many friends have come forward and offered help since the day I launched. I’ve had friends helping with photography, marketing, offering shop space, making introductions, or even just buying Stradalia, wearing it and telling their friends about it. I’m quite lucky in that regard.

il-lokal: Are there other creatives whose work/products you particularly love or admire?

Clint: Yes, of course. A lof of them. Anyone who I have featured in the Across the Medium series is a person whose work or work ethic, I truly admire. And there's a lot more to come. 

il-lokal: What are you working on right now? Do you have any exciting things in progress that you’d like to share?

Clint: There’s a new Stradalia drop in the works and I’m hoping to launch new products, not just new styles. But working on a new product is more time consuming and involves an element of risk when doing it for the first time.

Shop Stradalia on il-lokal.com

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Interview: MJ Tolu
Photography: Clint Tabone / Stradalia / Seventh Yard