Esther Shim
Esther Shim
Brand + Web Designer / Founder of Eastoft
Toronto, ON
www.eastoftstudio.com
instagram @east_oft
pinterest
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“Hi, I’m the founder of Eastoft, a minimalistic design studio that focuses on strategic branding and web design for conscious, conscientious, and eco-conscious businesses. ”
My ultimate goal is to bring my customer’s unique stories to life and help them create positive changes to our society and environment.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
It’s taken me a few detours to get to where I am today. Ever since I was young, I loved art and was the creative type, but was unsure of which artistic path to take and whether I could make a living out of it. I majored in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Toronto and spent my last undergrad year at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea as part of a student-exchange program.
After graduating, I made the decision to move out west from Toronto to Calgary to take up a government position at the RCMP (federal policing). By living on my own and starting my first office job, I gained a lot of perspective about myself and realized I needed to be in a more creative environment. So my sister and I started our own fashion Instagram account, which quickly grew to over 100K followers. We worked with numerous brands and other creatives + professionals in the fashion/beauty industry. It was an amazing eye-opener to be in the creative sector and meet others in this field.
Fast forward to a few years later in 2019, I stumbled upon a graphic design course on an Instagram ad and took it. I instantly fell in love. After finishing, I began to create and upload my own practice designs online, all the while continuing to take as many design courses as I could find. That’s how Eastoft was created and it has blossomed from there.
How do you stand out in your field?
Each and every project has not only been a successful collaboration, but a meaningful one. My past experiences of studying psychology and sociology, being an influencer and even working on cases at the RCMP have nurtured my ability to understand people and connect with them on a deeper level. Since I’ve started Eastoft, I’ve brought that connectedness to each and every one of my clients, creative friends and Instagram followers. I think we could all use more of a deeper connection especially during this time.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
My current goal is creating a solid foundation for my design studio. I’ve been refining all of my design documents (contract, services guide, welcome guide, etc) and re-doing my entire website. I also want to shift my focus onto conscious + eco-conscious brands, so I’ve been playing around with a lot of passion projects that show exactly that.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
Eastoft revolves around minimalistic logos, muted colours, and use of white space. I also love to create dimension by adding in textures and grainy filters. I would say my most recent passion projects “Monday Mood” and “Hudsen” encapsulate my style the most (you can check them out on Eastoft’s website and Instagram).
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I would love to learn more about CSS coding to add more customization on Squarespace websites.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Marketing and reaching out to potential clients! It’s definitely a grind keeping up-to-date on my Instagram portfolio and sending out pitches. I would love to make those two tasks a consistent thing.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
I would hire them to help me with the above tasks! It gets overwhelming at times when I have too many tasks to do and don’t know where to start. It would be nice to have someone with a marketing background help me with that.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I would tell my ‘2019 self’ to take it one step at a time and be confident in my own process. Sometimes I can’t help but compare myself to other designers and focus on what I lack, which eventually causes me to spiral and burnout. I would love to reassure myself that things take time and I am valuable in my own way.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I would really appreciate some expertise on reaching out to potential clients and growing my design business.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I’m looking for clients with projects specifically in the ethical, conscious and sustainable world. I would love to help them create branding with a website that speaks to their audience and creates positive change in our society and environment.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client would be a small but growing skincare brand with a core focus on eco-consciousness and ethical practices. They understand that we all need to take part in taking care of our planet and people + take active part in reducing their carbon footprint. For example, the brand would use biodegradable packaging and sustainable ingredients.
They would be open to the creative direction of the designer and trusts that the designer knows what’s best for their ideal clientele. I would love to have lots of open dialogue and be able to converse my ideas with them freely and comfortably + vice versa.
Who is a creative that has helped you elevate your work?
Some of my favourite creatives who have helped elevate my work are:
@_storiesstudio - Veterans in their craft. It’s such an intimate experience when you go through their feed, like you’re right there experiencing everything they want you to feel. It’s magical.
@mylkcreative - Beautiful designs that are also very technical. I’m also inspired.
@aritzia - Although not a creative, their store locations have the most beautifully designed spaces. I’m forever inspired by their mix of vintage and modern decor.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Via the contact form on my website. From there, we’ll hop on a quick call to get to know each other and your project needs!
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Pinterest scrolls, mental breaks, and conversing with close ones.
This member profile was originally published in April 2021.