Noémie Pino is a french art director, content creator and Illustrator. She studied in Écoles de Condé Nancy and obtained a degree in Graphic design and Applied Arts. She worked in the design field for a couple years while starting her Instagram career, first posting mainly distinctive fashion content, to later move onto more complex and animated fantastical videos, made and edited by herself, gathering 176 thousand followers in her account. Her characteristic ideas reached the eyes of big brands like North Face, Adobe and Kenzo Parfums, among others.
Hi Noémie ! A pleasure to have you with us today, please tell us a bit about yourself and include 3 things you think our readers need to know about you as a designer.
Hello! I’m an art director who also became a content creator, based in France. My work blends fashion, imagery, and visual effects. I love using these three elements to tell visual stories that surprise, intrigue, and sometimes slightly unsettle.
You started your Instagram journey with fashion posts and reels, how important is fashion expression for you ? And how did your beginnings influence your work now ?
I would say fashion was one of my first creative languages. Even before working with video or VFX, it was a way for me to express myself, to show who I was, and to tell stories without speaking. Today, it’s still at the core of my work, but I use it as a narrative tool. An outfit is never just an outfit, I think of it as a character, a way to create contrast within a visual, or to express a specific feeling.
My beginnings taught me how to create with very little, to be inventive with styling, and not to be afraid of trying new things, both in fashion and in my content overall. The more you step away from the expected path, the closer you get to yourself.
The creativity of your first reels is outstanding. Did you use apps or Adobe programs ? And where did you study or learn them ?
I mainly used, and still use, After Effects. In the beginning, I didn’t know much about it. I learned some basics in design school and used it a bit early in my professional life, but I’d say I learned about three quarters of what I know on my own, as a content creator.
I had ideas I wanted to bring to life, so I learned step by step through each video to make them happen. Every Reel felt like a new exercise for me (and I’ll never thank the internet and its endless tutorials enough haha).
You have a distinctive powerful colour palette. With which criteria do you choose them and what do you want them to represent ?
To be honest, the first thing that influences my color palette is my hair color haha. It’s very bold and stands out on camera, so I often choose outfits that either contrast with it or enhance it. The second important factor is the environment I’m shooting in. The colors of my outfit, my hair, and the setting all need to interact well together, they should contrast while still feeling cohesive. It’s very instinctive.
I’m drawn to bold colors, sometimes almost artificial, because they create a break from reality. They allow you to step instantly into a different world.
You mentioned the importance of reconnecting with yourself and finding your essence again. What words of advice would you say to someone that feels lost ?
I would say: ask yourself what you love, and do it. It can be something very simple. Do it without expecting anything in return, without worrying about being good or bad, just for the sake of doing it. And be patient. If you do what you love and you’re patient with yourself, something positive will always come out of it. You have to accept that it’s a slow and long process, but with every step, you get a little closer. We live in a time where we spend more time thinking and questioning than actually doing. You have to allow yourself to act, to make mistakes, to start again, to try new things, to step out of your comfort zone. It always pays off.
How does your creative process work ?
I find my best ideas when I manage to quiet my mind. Most of them come when I’m just lying in the sun on a chair, or in the morning in bed, slowly waking up and staying in that in-between state, somewhere
between sleep and reality. Then, once I’m a bit more awake, I write down everything that feels interesting. After that, I let it go and come back to it later. If the idea stays with me, it usually means it needed to exist.
Where do you find inspiration and who are 3 artists you admire ?
Like everyone, in films, Pinterest, Instagram, magazines… But my biggest source of inspiration is life itself.
I’m also very inspired by Michel Gondry, for his handmade and poetic approach to visual effects. Of course, I can’t deny how much Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry and color has influenced me. And finally, I’m fascinated by the
unsettling surrealism in Yorgos Lanthimos’ films.
You created a big animation project using Adobe. How was the experience ? And what other techniques would you like to use in your projects ?
It was a very enriching experience that allowed me to push further the blend between real and digital. It also reminded me how important it is to spend time creating tangible things outside of screens. The satisfaction of making something imperfect with your hands is priceless in a world where everything can be generated perfectly. AI can compensate for a lack of resources, but we absolutely don’t need it to be creative.
I’d love to explore this balance even more, combining digital and practical techniques, creating stories and short films around handmade sets. Mixed media approaches really interest me.
You collaborated with big grands in cool projects in recent years. With which artist, platform, brand or space would you like to collaborate next ?
I love collaborations that allow for true creative freedom. I’d love to work more with fashion houses or brands that have a strong identity, but also with platforms or studios that allow for longer storytelling formats. The dream would be to create hybrid projects, somewhere between a campaign, a short film, and an artistic experience.
Do you have any projects ahead ? And what would your dream project be ?
I have several projects in progress, including the creation of my own creative agency, with the desire to build more structured and cohesive worlds. I also dream of designing fashion and home objects, something at the intersection of experimentation, storytelling, and utility. Creating an object that isn’t just a product, but the starting point of an entire universe, with a full branding, a campaign, a short film. A project I could imagine and carry from start to finish. Because in the end, that’s what drives me: creating.
