Creative Minds: Jin Bae on Jordans and the art of seeing what others miss

Name: Jin Bae

Origin: Incheon, South Korea

Places lived/worked: South Korea, New Zealand, Australia

Pronouns: He/him

CV:

Associate design director, RGA Australia, (2021-Present)

Senior designer, RGA Australia (2018-2021)

Designer, RGA Australia (2013-2018)

1. How did you end up being a creative?

As a child, I drew my favourite comic characters and crafted toys out of recycled materials. That imagination and hands-on curiosity became a natural way of engaging with the world. Pursuing art and design felt like an obvious next step. What I enjoy most as a creative is the ability to see possibilities others might overlook, and to make thoughtful interventions that have a meaningful impact.

2. What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?

Currently, my favourite project is the World of Flight for the Jordan Brand, where I led the design output and consolidated it into a visual centre for global circulation. The work defines a holistic and consistent visual language for Jordan Brand's first-ever physical store. 

The World of Flight store in Milan

3. What's the one piece of work you most wish you'd done? 

The Auckland Art Gallery rebrand by Alt Group stands out above the rest. It’s a beautifully restrained yet intellectually playful, placing art at the centre while unfolding into a clever language game. The identity sparks a conversation about what art can be, using a visual and verbal system that is both deeply thoughtful and universally accessible—something both a five-year-old and a ninety-year-old can engage with equally.

4. What/who are your key creative influences?

Dean Poole of Alt Group, Simon Dixon and Aporva Baxi of DixonBaxi have been major influences throughout my career. Their design philosophies rooted in clarity, rigour, and bold creative leadership, continue to inspire how I think and work.

5. What kind of student were you?

I was the kind of student who worked hard, regardless of whether I was good or not. I treated being a student as a profession in itself, so showing up with dedication felt essential. I wasn’t academically strong, but in the arts I was deeply driven. I always wanted to be the best.

6. Who’s on your dream dinner guest list (alive or dead)?

Leonardo da Vinci. I’d love the chance to hear his thoughts firsthand and ask all the questions that come from admiring someone whose curiosity and creativity were centuries ahead of their time.

7. What career did you think you'd have when you were a kid?

As a child, I was fascinated by space and imagined I’d become an astronaut. In hindsight, I’m glad that didn’t happen—between the extreme demands of the job and my claustrophobia, it was never going to end well.

8. Do you work best under pressure, or when things are calm?

A balance of both. Under pressure, I’m decisive and momentum-driven; when things are calm, I slow down, think deeply, and explore ideas more freely. Ideally, it’s a 70/30 split.

9. What advice would you give to a 10-year-old you, if you could?

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. They’re not dead ends; they’re often the doorway to unexpected and beautiful outcomes.

10. What really motivates you?

My school friends have always been a source of motivation; they pushed me to want to be better. I’m also inspired by something I once heard in a talk: “Musicians spend hours each day perfecting the same passages; do we apply the same discipline to our craft?” That perspective stays with me and drives me to keep learning and striving. And above all, my wife and children are constant, grounding motivations in everything I do.

11. Extrovert or introvert?

I’m naturally an introvert, but I’ve been consciously training myself to step into more extroverted situations. I’ve realised that overthinking can lead to missed moments, and those moments don’t return. Embracing the present has become important to me.