Designing Her Own Path: How Kimia Ansari Built Her Career from Art Student to Brand Champion

Kimia Ansari didn’t just dream of a creative career — she built one at the highest level. From her early days as a determined art student to leading design initiatives for brands like Clinique, Maybelline NY, and ESSIE nail polish, Kimia’s path is a masterclass in passion, resilience, and the power of strategic design.

Today, Kimia is passionate about using her creative talents and years of experience to help brands tell their stories with authenticity, purpose, and impact. She partners with businesses that inspire her —  brands that want to tell a story.

Whether refreshing a visual identity, designing thoughtful packaging, creating a commercial space, or crafting a brand's next creative chapter, Kimia has the unique ability to bring ideas to life. 

That deep expertise was forged through years of intense creative development and real-world experience — starting with her time at one of the most prestigious design schools in the country.

Learning from the Best in the Business

Kimia’s journey in design began at Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she studied under some of the industry’s most respected names, including the legendary Henry Wolf.

“It was dog-eat-dog,” she recalls of the competitive environment. 

For a time, she even considered transferring out. But encouragement from her family helped her stick with it — and that perseverance laid the foundation for her future success.

“If I had to give advice to my past self, I would say take a pause and focus on the bigger picture — because sometimes it takes time to come into full focus.”

That rigorous Parsons training — fundamental design principles, typography, color theory, photography and critical thinking — still informs her work today. And it ultimately helped propel her to an extraordinary career working with global powerhouses like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, and Procter & Gamble.

“And that is what led me into my career path. I had the best teachers. They were the heads of their fields, who took time out of their working day to teach classes. I had some very famous designers who were my teachers; they were published, in design museums... I learned from the best.”

Finding Her Niche: In-House Creative Work

Through a series of diverse internships, Kimia began to discover not only what she loved but also what she didn’t. Experiences in fashion, advertising, magazines (editorial design), and more were opportunities to try out different industries. And she quickly realized she wanted to work within the brand itself.

This clarity led her to build a career as an in-house creative at major brands like Maybelline NY, where she could ensure brand consistency and creative excellence from within.

“I had some very good experiences while I was in school to help me figure out what I wanted to do. Actually, more importantly, what I didn't want to do.”

Proud Moment: Rebranding Clinique’s Global Packaging

A proud moment in Kimia’s impressive career came when she joined Clinique Cosmetics as Director Global Package Design Worldwide — a role that offered both immense opportunity and immense challenges.

When Kimia arrived, the brand’s global duty-free packaging (the travel-exclusive box bundles you find at international airports) was almost a full year behind schedule. In the cosmetics industry, where product launches are planned two years ahead, this was a serious issue.

Thanks to her intense focus and organization, Kimia did what seemed impossible: she cleared the backlog in just three months.

"I'm a very focused person. When I see what needs to be done, I get it done."

But catching up was just the beginning. Kimia was soon given a rare opportunity: the chance to rebrand Clinique’s duty-free packaging — something almost unheard of at such a large and established brand.

At the time, both the men’s and women’s products were packaged almost identically. The products were photographed on clean, white backgrounds to align with Clinique’s "clinical, dermatologist-recommended" image. However, this uniformity caused confusion between the two lines when displayed side-by-side.

Kimia proposed a bold shift: photographing the men's dark-toned products against rich gray backgrounds while keeping the women's products bright and clean on white. She also brought the visuals to life by activating the products—opening lids to swirling textures in creams and colorful architectural lipstick bullets, spraying products with dynamic water splashes.

Initially, her ideas faced major resistance.

"Marketing told me I was crazy. They thought it would never work."

But Kimia didn’t give up. She photographed the products on her desk and created tangible comps knowing that people need to see a new idea to understand it. Her work convinced the team and the rebrand was officially approved.

The result? A sharper distinction between product lines, stronger visual merchandising, and refreshed consumer engagement. These changes remain part of Clinique’s global guidelines to this day!

"Sometimes the ideas that scare people the most are the ones that make the biggest impact."

Staying Authentic — and Balanced

Throughout her career, Kimia balanced full-time corporate roles with a steady stream of freelance projects, driven by a passion for creativity and a love for meeting new people. Networking organically through life in New York, she built a robust freelance business.

Today, as a single mom, she’s stepped back from corporate America — a conscious decision to find more balance in her life while continuing to freelance.

When asked how she managed to juggle corporate work, freelance projects, and motherhood, Kimia is candid:

"Honestly, it was my choice. I worked seven days a week, ten hours a day for almost thirty years. But to me, it was never work. Yes, my full-time jobs were very stressful, but my freelance jobs were a joy — I had more creative freedom and influence without all the hierarchy and layers of corporate life.”

Although Kimia admits she didn't always maintain a perfect work-life balance — corporate burnout was real — her passion for creativity became her anchor.

"I didn’t do a very good job balancing it all, but then again, I love what I do. Being creative isn’t just a job for me; it’s how I decompress, how I live my life, how I find joy. A lot of people have jobs they don’t enjoy. Fortunately for me, I actually really love what I do."

Today, she sees freelance work as the key to a more flexible, fulfilling future.

"The corporate landscape is changing. Entrepreneurship and adaptability are the future."

Creative Advice: Stay Focused on the Brand

One key lesson Kimia has learned is the importance of serving the brand, not personal preferences — a discipline that has set her apart in the creative world.

"This happens to me all the time — people let their personal opinions get in the way of the brand. I don’t get personally attached to designing, even though I'm the one producing it. My job is to bring everyone back to the core brand. Does it fit the brand image? Does it tell the brand story? Does it uphold the brand mission? That’s what matters."

Knowing that most people can't visualize concepts until they see them, Kimia creates detailed comps and mockups to help teams see her ideas in action. She also gives herself space to let creative ideas evolve — sometimes revisiting them after unexpected inspiration strikes.

"Sometimes you need to let an idea breathe. Maybe you see something walking down the street that sparks a better solution."

And perhaps most importantly, she stays open to feedback — even when it challenges her initial vision.

"You don't have to agree with every idea, but you should always listen and stay open. You never know where a really good idea might come from."

Looking Ahead: A Dream to Heal Through Music

Kimia’s next dream is deeply personal: founding a nonprofit called Music for Medicine, dedicated to bringing calming music into hospitals to aid healing and improve patient experiences.

Inspired by her experiences with her late mother and her daughter's serious accident, Kimia has a clear vision — and the creative assets — but is searching for the right partners to help bring it to life.

"I know my limitations. I can do the creative part, but I need help making it a reality."

Advice to the Next Generation: Experience Everything

When asked what advice she would give young entrepreneurs or creatives just starting out, Kimia’s answer is simple but powerful: experience everything.

"Know what your passions are, what you love, and don't worry about trying to fit it in a box,” she says. “The most important thing for you today is to have experiences. Get internships because you will very quickly realize what you like and don't like. And then do what makes you happy, because whatever makes you happy, you’ll excel at.”

Kimia believes that taking risks, staying curious, and learning from every experience — even the unexpected or uncomfortable ones — are crucial to building a fulfilling creative career.

“You need to have experiences to figure out what you like and don't like.”

Continuing the Journey: Open to New Creative Collaborations

Kimia’s journey is far from over. Today, she continues to channel her passion, creativity, and decades of brand-building expertise into new projects that align with her values. She is actively partnering with brands that have purpose and authenticity at their core — companies looking for meaningful, visually powerful ways to tell their story. Always up for a new challenge, Kimia is excited to collaborate with businesses ready to make an impact and bring bold ideas to life.