Femme Flora Design was featured in the SDVoyager publication. Thank you to SDVoyager for this opportunity. Read the article down below to get to know our story!
Life & Work with Christine Almendras
Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Almendras.
Hi Christine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story started in middle school when I first downloaded Photoshop to make GIFs of various fandoms I was in on Tumblr. I was fascinated by the fact that I was able to spend hours on this photo editing program and never get tired of it. Fast forward a couple of years, and the time came for me to pick a college major as a senior in high school. Surprisingly, I was supposed to major in Physical Therapy! But, on a whim, I decided to change it to digital media/graphic design. At first, I did not receive familial support for my choices because, at the time, Asian Americans pursuing creative fields was a foreign topic. Throughout my college years, I had to prove myself to my peers and family that I could pursue this career and get a stable income out of it.
Now, I work as a professional graphic designer in a marketing agency, and own my freelance business, Femme Flora Design. It took years of networking, working hard, constantly learning, and growing to be where I am today. To be transparent, it hasn’t always been rainbows and sunshine, but being able to do something that I love has been nothing but rewarding, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely was not a smooth road to get to where I am today. First, when I decided to pursue a graphic design career in college, I received minimal familial support and no financial support. Luckily, I had scholarships and financial aid to help me throughout school, but receiving little to no family support was difficult, to say the least. Then, when the time came to graduate college, it was very difficult for me to break into the industry as a fresh graduate and person of color. I actually had to work at Olive Garden as a server for three years to support myself while looking for jobs.
Finally, I broke into the industry when I was offered an internship position at a local marketing agency. It was an immense time for growth for me because I not only learned how to work in an agency setting, but I learned how to work with multiple clients at the same time (which comes with its own challenges). At the end of 2020, I decided to officially launch my freelance business, Femme Flora Design.
Now, starting your own business comes with a mountain load of challenges that I can’t even begin to explain. The best way I can describe entrepreneurship is by trying and failing until you get it right. There were several times I got zero sales on launch day, didn’t get the views I wanted, or wasn’t seeing freelance inquiries come through. All of this is to say that owning a business is super hard, and instant gratification is not possible when owning one. It’s a slow burn that requires a lot of patience, time, and effort!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My freelance business, Femme Flora Design, has two main focuses. In the first half, I design trendy, aesthetic stickers, prints, and more that often fall into the realm of Asian-American themes. Some of the things I’ve made in the past were anime stationery and stickers, boba pins/straws, and a lot of Asian food pun stickers (which I love!) I would say I’m most known for my cute, pastel color palette style and the fact that I like to specialize in Asian food puns. More specifically, I love to illustrate Filipino-themed products because I feel like there is a lack of cute products for my culture.
In the other half of my business, I provide brand strategy, brand identity, and web design services for AAPI women in creative fields. Some of my favorite clients to work on belong in the food/drink blog, photography, and podcast industries. Of course, I am not limited to this demographic only and love to support all kinds of individuals in their brand journey!
I am most proud of the design I’ve made for freelance clients, a special shoutout to Sunday Table, Gay, Asian, and Speaking, and Black Poodle Studio. I absolutely loved how the design came out for those brands and how I was able to give clarity to my clients to enhance their business.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my focus on AAPI content and products. Growing up Asian-American, our career paths are most likely already decided for us. When we don’t set out on that path, it’s met with much resistance and disappointment. So, being able to break not only the glass ceiling but the bamboo ceiling, it’s my calling to help those in the same situation as me feel proud of their roots and express creativity. I pride myself in being open about this topic and paving the way for Asians in creative industries because we deserve a seat at the table too.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If there’s anything I want someone to take away from this article, it’s that to never be afraid to go for what you want. Life is so short, and there’s no use wasting time doing something you don’t love or aren’t passionate about. I know this statement comes with many privileges in having a choice, but what I’m saying is that if you do have a choice, just go for it! The best part of not knowing where you’ll land is that you’ll find yourself having an enriching life from immense growth. If anything, I’m living proof that even if you struggle the whole way there, this path is something more fulfilling and worth it in the end.
Pricing:
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- Stickers: $4-5
- Pins: $10
- Brand Strategy + Identity: $2,000
- Brand Strategy + Identity, Website: $5,500
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Contact Info:
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- Website: www.femmefloradesign.com
- Instagram: @femmefloradesign
- Facebook: @femmefloradesign
- Other: TikTok: @femmefloradesign, Etsy: femmefloradesign.etsy.com
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Image Credits
Sara Hunt-Broka
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