Timothy Holmes

Timothy Holmes, the Vice President of Graphic Design for Apparel at Polo Ralph Lauren writes: I was born and raised in England. I studied graphic design in my hometown of Bristol so that I could stay in my funk band, but got very bored designing letterheads and milk cartons, so I specialized in animation and won the Sony Pop Video Award for students. Part of the prize was airline tickets to New York and when I came here I found a city that had been influencing and inspiring me my whole life without my realizing it.

I went back to England and played in my band for a few years whilst working for various animation companies including Aardman. In 1991 I had the chance to move permanently to New York, so I gave up my musical ambitions to come and work as an animator making films for Cartoon Network, MTV, Nickelodeon etc: as an art director on various hip hop videos and as a freelance graphic designer at Polo Ralph Lauren.

Surprisingly, fashion won me over and I have now been at Polo for 17 years. I am the Vice President of Graphic Design for Apparel and design and oversee all of the apparel graphics packaging etc. for about 15 brands, directing a team of about 15 designers.

I married a Spanish supermodel I met on the job and we now live in Brooklyn and have two fantastic kids.

In this economic downturn, name one thing you have done to weather the tough times. Put my children on ebay

If you weren't a designer, what would you be? Rock Star

What's the one thing ALWAYS in your bag that you never leave home without? iPod

If you could spend 15 minutes talking to any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Marvin Gaye - I'd ask him for singing lessons

If you could work for anyone, a client or on a project, what would it be? Saul Bass designing old movie posters

ONE THING I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IS Air

STAR SIGN
Rock star

READING
The Road by Cormac McCarthy

FAVORITE TV SHOWS
Twin Peaks

FAVORITE MOVIES
Citizen Kane

FAVORITE MUSIC, BAND, SONG
Music: Southern Soul
Band: (Currently) Elbow...not sure about ever Album: Grace - Jeff Buckley
Song: All time - Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division / Currently - No Surrender - Justin Currie

STRENGTH & WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER
Strength: Vision
Weakness: Lack of Vision

NEW YEARS' RESOLUTIONS
400dpi and 600dpi