Abigail Baccouche-Levy

My path into design began in my teenage years with a technical high school degree in my hometown of Biarritz, France— by luck, one of the few programs of its kind at the time. As a kid, my love for drawing and painting, paired with a fascination for books, made it clear that creativity was my true calling. I dreamed of a future where I could combine art, storytelling in a functional object or setting, wondering if that might take the form of becoming an illustrator—or perhaps a designer?

Determined to pursue this goal, I dedicated myself to a preparatory class, working relentlessly to secure a place in the highly selective French art school system. At 18, I achieved my dream of joining the Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg (1,000 kilometers from home!). Renowned for its illustration program and exceptional resources like silk screen printing, lithograph engraving, bookbinding, ceramics, and more, the school provided the perfect environment for exploration (also looked like a fantasy castle—Google it). It was there that I truly fell in love with design and immersed myself in learning more about it.

While my bachelor’s years were filled with creativity and experimentation, I realised the importance of hands-on experience. After earning my degree, I took a gap year, splitting it between a university exchange in graphic design in Seoul, South Korea and an internship at a design agency in Amsterdam. Both experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone, and gave me a new perspective on how design is perceived outside of the circles I had been in before.

After five years of study and experimentation, I graduated with honors in 2022, receiving an award for my master’s research project. However, the transition to the professional world brought a stark reality: while I loved graphic design, it was often treated as any other service industry, not allowing me to practice it in the way I had envisioned and make a sustainable living from it. The ideals of art, research, and critical thinking that I deeply valued weren’t always recognised in the way I had hoped. This left me questioning my path: Did I want to be part of this service-driven industry? Had I made the right choices for my future?

To gain perspective, I took an internship at the United Nations in Vienna, stepping into a structured environment far from the creative freedom I’d known. It was fascinating, but ultimately, it reaffirmed my love for design—the ability to create worlds from scratch, connect with people through visual storytelling resulting in a tangible experience.

An opportunity arose to join a graphic design traineeship program back in Amsterdam, and within a week, I made the decision to leave the UN (and a job offer) and return to the city that had captivated me during my gap year. This move was transformative; I dove into web design and digital products, discovering a balance between service and creativity that felt authentic to me. This city, my adopted home, as well as the talented creative people met along the way, has been instrumental in shaping both my creative journey and personal growth.

Joining Miyagami has been a true turning point. So far, it’s an experience that has exceeded all my expectations. Offering the perfect environment to grow both personally and professionally. As a UX/UI designer, I’m excited to continue evolving my skills and contribute meaningfully to our team and the projects we undertake. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a creative, collaborative space filled with passionate and talented professionals, from developers to designers, that is constantly growing. Looking forward to what we create together!