Coretin Billot is a Paris-based art director and graphic designer working across fashion, music, and contemporary culture. His clients include Trax Magazine, Krug Champagne, Saint Laurent, Adidas, and Arc’teryx. His practice merges refined minimalism with cultural energy, creating imagery defined by rhythm, contrast, and attitude.

Your work moves between fashion, music, and contemporary culture. What draws you to these worlds, and how do they influence your visual language?

What attracts me to the worlds of fashion, music, and contemporary culture is first and foremost their visual richness. These are constantly evolving fields where codes transform and blend. This diversity feeds my imagination—silhouettes, textures, colors, attitudes, cultural references… everything becomes a source of inspiration. They naturally influence my visual language, which I build through contrasts, graphic details, and modern energy. I draw from their atmospheres, rhythms, and strong identities to create imagery that reflects the liveliness of these worlds and their ability to tell stories.

When you begin a new project, where do you start—with concept, typography, or image?

It depends on the project, but generally I begin with extensive visual research. This helps me identify a direction, understand possible references, and develop a strong concept. Once that foundation is set, I focus on the typographic composition and imagery, creating a coherent dialogue between the two to reinforce the overall idea.

Can you walk me through a typical project flow in your studio?

I start by defining the brief with the client to be as precise as possible about their needs and expectations. I then create a mood board with different conceptual ideas, which I present for approval. Once the direction is validated, I move into the creation phase and develop the visual proposals.

You’ve worked with both luxury and performance brands. How do you adapt your visual language to fit each one while maintaining your own sensibility?

I don’t think these brands are so different. They share many similarities, especially in their simplicity and refined aesthetic. That’s a visual language I enjoy working with, so it aligns naturally with my sensitivity. I adapt to each brand’s specificities, but I always find common ground in this minimalist approach, creating a balance between their identity and my own visual language.

How do you balance creative experimentation with the structure that commercial work often requires?

I believe it all comes down to good communication. When the framework of the project is clearly defined with the client, it creates space for experimentation. Once objectives are understood and shared, I can propose more creative ideas while staying aligned with expectations. This ongoing dialogue allows a balance between artistic freedom and commercial requirements.

How does contemporary culture influence the tone or storytelling in your design work?

Contemporary culture strongly influences the tone and narrative of my work. It keeps me connected to what’s happening today—in behaviors, aesthetics, and ideas—and I integrate these signals into my projects. I like capturing trends, movements, or references to build a visual language rooted in its time. It brings a more vivid and authentic dimension to my creations and allows me to tell stories that resonate with the present moment.

Can you share a project that challenged your usual methods or shifted how you think about design?

I try to experiment whenever I can, but the project that truly disrupted my habits was an identity I created using a specific printing technique: a thermal printer. All the visuals were produced with this machine. I was both very free in terms of visual possibilities and highly limited by the technical constraints.This tension forced me to rethink my methods, embrace unpredictability, and let the tool partially guide the outcome. It was a defining experience in my practice.

Collaboration seems to play an important role in your practice. How do you balance working independently with being part of a larger creative team?

Working independently doesn’t necessarily mean working alone. Most of the time, when I’m on a project, I join a larger team depending on the needs. This allows different skills to come together and enrich the creative process. My role remains autonomous, but within a collective dynamic where everyone brings their perspective. This balance gives me freedom while benefiting from group energy.

What tools or systems help you stay organized and maintain consistency across projects?

I don’t really use organizational software, but I’m quite disciplined in how I structure my days. I simply keep a table listing my clients and invoicing. Then I juggle projects based on the time allocated and client feedback. This simple system gives me a clear overview while staying flexible.

Looking ahead, what kinds of projects, collaborators, or cultural spaces are you most interested in exploring next?

I’m increasingly drawn to working on full visual identities, as they allow me to explore an entire universe. I’m open to any kind of collaboration, as long as the project speaks to me visually. I like maintaining a balance between cultural and commercial fields—each brings different challenges and enriches my practice.Ideally, I’d like to pursue more projects that combine both worlds, to continue experimenting and expanding my visual language.