9 years since Shillington: Julia Darze

From sketching chocolate packaging at age seven in Brazil to directing visual identities at a leading creative studio, Julia Darze's path into design has been anything but linear and all the more inspiring because of it.

In this candid conversation, Julia reflects on the many twists in her journey: growing up between Rio and rural England, leaving university due to illness, launching a truffle business, and finally finding her footing at Shillington.

Now a Partner & Design Director at Fiasco, Julia brings warmth, curiosity, and a multidisciplinary spirit to everything she touches. We caught up with her to talk about creativity, confidence, ADHD, the power of good mentors, and how staying playful (and a little nerdy) still drives her best work.

Welcome back to Shillington, Julia! It's been 9 years since you graduated and you've been busy!

Let’s go right back to the beginning. What did you want to be when you were little?

I think, like most kids, I dreamt of 'being' something different every week. A ballerina, astronaut, pop star, Barbie collector. A lot of my family in Brazil are or were doctors, and while I was fascinated by that as a child, I was always very creative (and messy), drawing, painting, or designing things. I remember creating my first brand and packaging for a chocolate company when I was around seven…

You mentioned what you were like as a child, but what about when you were a teenager? Whether it was at school or in your spare time?

I’ve always been someone with a lot of different interests, and I went through so many phases as a teenager, some more embarrassing than others. I moved back to the UK from Rio when I was six and spent my teens in the countryside, which was great because being in nature reminded me of the outdoor lifestyle in Brazil. On one hand, I was a huge tomboy who played sports, the drums, and skateboarded everywhere; on the other, I loved dancing, painting, and experimenting with makeup with my girlfriends.

When did you KNOW you wanted to go into a creative field?

At school, I was always better at creative subjects (art, music, sports) than at maths and science. I knew pretty early in my teenage years that I wanted to pursue something in the creative world. I loved painting and was selected to exhibit my work a couple of times as a teen, so I’d always considered studying Fine Art at university, even attending a few interviews. But I also took Graphic Design for my GCSEs, and I just knew that was what I was meant to do. It felt like the perfect blend of creativity and expression, used to create meaningful solutions to problems. I was hooked.

What were you up to before starting Shillington?

Before Shillington, I already knew I wanted to study Graphic Design, so I went on to do a foundation course in Birmingham before getting accepted into a few great universities. I was accepted into the course at Edinburgh University (ECA), which was a very proud moment and it was super competitive, with very few places available. Moving there was incredibly exciting and felt like a big adventure. It’s such a beautiful city, and I’ll never forget the first time I walked out of the train station and was absolutely blown away by the mix of old and new architecture. I had a great first year and remember nerding out over meeting Paula Scher and Marina Willer, even getting their autographs!

Unfortunately, toward the end of first year, I became severely unwell, which meant leaving university, leaving Edinburgh, and moving back home for major surgery. It was a huge blow, and ultimately, I had to leave the course. I ended up moving back to Rio to reset and figure out my next move, during which time I started a small business selling brigadeiros (Brazilian truffles). It turned out to be pretty successful and could have been a permanent path, but deep down, I still wanted to be a designer.

What led to to find out about Shillington? Did you have a eureka moment?

While living back in Rio, I landed an internship at a TV and animation studio, Visorama, which was awesome and reignited my ambition to become a designer. The problem was, I didn’t have a degree and couldn’t face restarting university. I remembered someone from my course at Edinburgh mentioning Shillington, and after looking into it further, I knew it was perfect. The quality of the work students were producing was so inspiring! Shillington is unique in its focus on technical skills while also nurturing conceptual thinking, so I was confident it would give me the advantage of graduating at an industry-ready level. After considering a few different locations, I chose to enrol at Shillington in Manchester in 2016—I love exploring new cities, and it was a great one.

How did you decide between the 3 month full-time and the 9 month part-time course?

I was very impatient and wanted to be working in the industry as quickly as possible, so choosing the 3-month course was a no-brainer. I already felt a few years behind my friends who had graduated from university, so I was determined to give the course my all and fully embrace its intensive nature.

So what was the Shillington experience like when you were studying?

The fast-paced, intensive nature of the course suited me pretty well. I have ADHD, so I think I actually work better under pressure (sometimes) especially when I’m doing something I’m really interested in. I loved the variety and quantity of briefs, and the fact that we were given industry-esque deadlines. It meant we learned a great deal in a short space of time. The experience helped me grow my confidence in presenting work and validating ideas, and also taught me how to review and critique design from an objective perspective.

Britt Music & Arts Festival branding, Fiasco Design

An identity and digital experience that captures the emotional energy of performance, place, and community.

Set in the pine-covered hills of Jacksonville, Oregon, Britt is more than a music and arts venue. It’s a gathering place, a nature park, a nonprofit, and the beating heart of a close-knit creative community. With a 60-year legacy and a setting unlike any other, Britt offers an experience that feels both intimate and extraordinary — a show shared with “2,000 friends you just met.”

What was the best bit of the day during your classes?

There were a lot of great moments. Talking through work and seeing what my classmates were designing, the follow-along sessions learning the software, getting your head down and focusing on the brief, lunchtimes in the park. I’d do it all again.

What about some of your best memories from studying?

Honestly, the best memories I have from the course are of the friends I made there. Meeting people from all walks of life, each with their own story of how and why they were there, was very special. We all wanted to be there, which, unlike school or university, meant we were all driven and excited by the whole experience. I loved the tutors, John and Ed, they were both fantastic teachers who made everyone feel supported and encouraged to carve out their own approach and style. I’d be lying if I said some of my fondest memories weren’t of hanging out with my classmates in Manchester’s pubs and bars, but I think that’s part of the appeal of Shillington: intensive learning paired with the chance to have fun and let off some steam with your mates.

We know it can be a really intense experience, would you do it anything differently if you could do it all over again?

There were a lot of late nights and early mornings, many, many sketchbooks filled, and portfolio time was hectic. We were all in it together, and by the end of the three months, we had grown very close as a class. I don’t think I would have done anything differently; I came to the course knowing and accepting that it would be hard work and require full dedication, but that’s exactly what I wanted (and needed) to finally start my career as a designer.

You talked about studying on other courses before Shillington, how did it compare?

I can honestly say that I learnt more in those three months at Shillington than I did in that year or so at university. Yes, university is undeniably excellent for teaching design from a more conceptual, critical, and theoretical perspective. It equipped me with a foundational knowledge of design theory and history but what I needed was to learn practical skills: how to use design software, present work, understand the commercial aspects of design, and, importantly, how to deliver projects at a quicker pace than university typically allows.

So, for what I needed at that stage in my life and education, Shillington delivered. I graduated and landed my first junior designer position within a couple of months.

Other branding examples from Julia & Fiasco

Do you still have a favourite piece from your Shillington portfolio?

Looking back at your portfolio is always interesting. I graduated in 2016, so I’ve definitely improved and grown a lot since then! But there are still a few pieces I’m proud of. The visual identity for an event space in Barcelona and the packaging for a Japanese knife brand which I won a contest for (it helped pay for my portfolio woo!) are definite highlights.

What are you doing for creative inspiration at the moment?

The majority of my time now, as a Design Director at Fiasco, is spent creating and directing visual identities. So it’s really important to keep one ear to the ground and staying aware of what’s out there, how styles and trends are evolving, and even keeping up with the fast-moving advancements in software and technology.

For me, creative inspiration comes from so many places. For specific design references, I’ve been delving into the world of Are.na. It’s a huge rabbit hole of content and carefully curated collections for almost anything design-related. I can get lost in there for hours!

I also look to platforms like LinkedIn for knowledge and discussions. But I think it’s important not to rely too heavily on inspiration sites as your only source of creative stimulus; inspiration can strike in many ways, from film and music to simply walking around, exploring new places and talking to people.

Do you have any goals for the next year?

As my role has shifted away from being hands-on day to day and more toward guiding and directing the creative, my focus has turned to honing softer skills: communication, listening, and making sure that each designer I work with feels supported and encouraged to flourish in their own way.

That mentoring aspect of my role is what I enjoy most, and I plan to dedicate more time to it this year: mentoring young designers, giving portfolio reviews, and speaking at design events. I’m actually heading to Ireland next week to give a keynote on the future of design and what we can do to support emerging talent.

If you could dream up your perfect creative brief what would it be?

Oh gosh, anything that involves diving into archives and historical materials is a dream. Our recent project for Britt (a music and arts festival in Oregon) was exactly that where I flicked through hundreds of archival posters and gathering historical typography references. I massively geeked out.

As for dream projects, something like branding a city or the Olympics would definitely be up there.

And to finish. Let’s think about the future. What's the plan?

I’m not really one for planning too far into the future; I’ve learnt that life can throw surprises and curveballs at you at any moment so whilst it’s good to have a rough plan, I prefer to follow experiences and opportunities. But, I hope that in the future I’ll still be doing what I love, surrounded by great people. I hope I can become a great mentor and role model, and perhaps even have some time left over to focus on some side projects. I’d quite like to start playing the drums again too.