pum m. lefebure

As design director of Design Army, the award-winning Washington DC firm that she co-founded with her husband in 2003, Pum M. Lefebure sets the creative vision for every project that comes through the door. Lefebure has guided the development and design of numerous projects for a wide array of clients, including The Washington Ballet, Chronicle Books, The Ritz-Carlton Company, Marriott International and the University of Virginia. She and her team have been recognized by numerous publications and awards programs, including Communications Arts, HOW, PRINT, STEP inside design, Novum, Coupe, art4d, the ADDY Awards, the AIGA 50, The Black Book AR100 Award Show, the Mohawk Show and The One Show. Lefebure graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from Radford University in Radford VA. When not designing, she enjoys spending time with her 3- year-old daughter.

Is graphic design a growth industry? Our industry has a bright future because design has become a way of life. Apple and Target, among others, have done an incredible job of educating consumers about design. Consumers today actually care about how a toaster looks not only in the kitchen but also in the box. I have also noticed the emergence of cross-disciplinary design. Fashion designers are working on furniture lines, interior designers are doing textiles, and graphic designers are developing products. As long as creative remains paramount, our profession has bright future. However, graphic designers are not as high-profile as fashion designers and interior designers; graphic design is done behind the scenes. Still, since the fashion and furniture industries need to sell to the masses, it is graphic designers who often make or break a project. If you read something, someone somewhere designed that page. I am confident that graphic design will always be in demand.

Do graphic designers have a special responsibility to promote a green society? Everyone, not just graphic designers, has a responsibility to promote a green society. However, most designers can't claim to be entirely green as long as we still use paper. Even though a lot of paper is recycled, there is still a carbon footprint left somewhere. When I work on a project, my client's objective comes first, and the environment comes second. But I believe we should push ourselves and our vendors to use greener products when possible. Graphic designers are leaders of innovation, so it's important for us to be both visually creative and environmentally responsible.

ONE THING I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IS Jake - my business partner, my husband and the father of my child

FAVORITE MOVIES

I have only one: The Sound of Music. It was my introduction to the English language when I was a child growing up in Bangkok. I love the colors and costumes in the movie. It's timeless.

FAVORITE BOOKS

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Best of Flair
Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann

FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS

Mark Rothko
Alexander Calder
Tim Walker

FAVORITE TV SHOWS

The Office
Sex and the City
America's Next Top Model

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES

designarmy.com
thesaurus.com
barneys.com