What I Learned from Working with Paula Scher
Learning from the Legend: How Paula Scher Taught Me to Think (and Design) Differently
September, 2019.
I walked into the iconic Pentagram agency at 250 Park Ave S, New York, and my dream internship began. But let’s rewind a few months to my interview. I reached out to Pentagram by emailing their general address (which I found on their website), and suddenly, I was in a meeting with Jeff, a senior designer working with Paula at the time. The interview took place at 10 p.m. French time, and I was a bundle of nerves. But 30 minutes later, the relief: my portfolio had made enough of an impression to secure the internship. They took care of everything from visas to paperwork. All I had to do was pass my embassy interview, et, voilà, I was off to New York.
For those who might not know, Paula Scher is a living legend in the graphic design world. Her work is iconic, and to see her at work was an absolute dream come true. Having the privilege of working with Paula directly was one of the most impactful experiences of my design career.
Though my time as an intern was brief, it was intense enough to leave a lasting impression that continues to fuel my creativity. I wanted to share with you six lessons I learned from working alongside Paula — lessons that still guide and energize my practice today.
These insights are deeply personal. If you’re reading this, you probably already know Paula’s incredible work and her legacy. So rather than reiterate what’s already well known, I wanted to offer something more intimate — a peek into what truly shaped me, both as a designer and as a person. Some of these lessons are deeply personal, but that’s exactly what makes them meaningful.
LESSON 1: “THE BEST WAY TO BREAK THE RULES IS TO MAKE MISTAKES”
That was a real eye-opener for me. Coming from a French design culture that often values precision and control, I had internalized the idea that making a mistake meant failing.