Inspiration, with Supriya Lele

This is the first episode in our six part series on creativity and everything that entails. We're starting with inspiration: where do original ideas come from? And how can you have more of them?

We're convinced that inspiration is not something innate. It's a skill that we can develop by exercising it. And we need to. We operate in a noisy market of ideas, where original thinking is required to stand out. Where machines can knock out facsimiles of other people’s ideas fast and cheaply. So we have to keep creating new ideas to stay ahead.

As always, to help us understand the skill we’re focused on, we have a special guest who relies on their skill for their own success. Supriya Lele is a fashion designer described by The Face as “one of the UK’s brightest design talents” and her eponymous label counts Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid as clients. Her style has spanned noughties nostalgia, rave-ready party wear, and inspiration from her Indian heritage.

Here's what we took away from our conversation with Supriya:

Be opinionated!

Creativity is self expression. Don't be afraid to be bold.

Learn through play

Supriya learns through experimentation, deliberately trying new things that might seem odd, like turning the clothes back to front or upside down. Play keeps the brain 'loose and flexible' and stops you being too rigid.

Make mistakes

Don't be afraid to get it wrong. As long as you learn from those mistakes.

Start with research

Inspiration comes from all over the place. Supriya accumulates imagery, sounds and objects that help to create a sense of direction.

Curate your story

Once you've got lots of research, sort it to tell a story. Find patterns and coherence between the ideas. For Supriya it might be common patterns, colours, cuts and shapes, but for you it might be common words, design elements, behaviours etc

Self-reference

Don't forget that you can be your own source of inspiration. Look to work you've done in the past to see if it can be reapplied or inspire a new answer. 

Never stop listening

Research is a continuous process. Keep a watchful eye for things that might inspire a future project and store them away.

Compound effect

Inspiration can be a build up of influences. It doesn't have to come from one thing, but can rather be about the intersections between many.

Separating influence from inspiration

Even original ideas have influences. What's critical is having a good measure for how much your inspiration moves things forward. There's no hard and fast rule but you get a sense of it over time.

Everyone gets blocked

Creative exercises are hard to programme in to a 9-5. Sometimes it just doesn't come. Don't get frustrated. Do something different. Step away and come back fresh.

That said...

Deadlines can be an incredible motivator! Even if they are artificial.

Collaborate

Creativity doesn’t have to be a solo exercise, all about you personal vision. Get other people involved.

Hobbies can help

Don't just have one creative outlet. Do something else you love, but without pressure. You can learn from it and bring that learning to your main discipline. And it can allow you to release pressure when things aren't going well on a project.

Accept vulnerability

Putting your creative work out there can be nerve wracking. Because really great work will usually take you somewhat outside of your comfort zone. It can be a vulnerable moment so prepare for it.