“Embracing a multidisciplinary approach can be very beneficial for designers.” We meet Zitong Zhao

Beijing-born, Brooklyn-based graphic designer and art director Zitong Zhao – who also goes by Tong – has been in many places and done many things. She’s worked in design studios such as Dazzle, Gretel, Meat, &Walsh and Koto, in advertising agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, and in-house at brands like Nike, Microsoft and Apple. She’s picked up nuggets of knowledge from each place she’s been, and now, all of these experiences flow into her independent practice. In her own creative pursuits, Tong never forgets to look at the world around her and treat it as a well of inspiration. Take, for example, her #dobservations, where she takes photos of found objects and things on her daily walks, and turns them into something at once unexpected and surprising. Earlier this year, she also launched her own creative label, pioklepiokle, where she challenges the fast pace the world runs at by creating objects with patience and intent. Here, as we speak to Tong, she braids together the different strands of creativity that unspool in her practice, and gives us a glimpse into her world, showing us where she’s been and also where she’s headed.