John C Jay currently serves as President of Global Creative for Fast Retailing, the owner of global apparel brands including Uniqlo.
His career has spanned a diverse universe of creative responsibilities and opportunities, with unusual and successful collaborations crossing over disciplines and cultures. Starting in publishing and editorial design, then moving into fashion and retail marketing, and now with a major apparel maker and retailer.
The most important introduction to design for John C Jay was a school visit to the historic exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, “Italy, The New Domestic Landscape”.
Jay always kept a personal studio, Studio J, that allowed him to further push his strategic/creative thinking and making.
He has opened F.P.O. (For Position Only) a small design studio and gallery dedicated to showing the art of young and developing artists.
Among the many recognitions he received, John C Jay was named by U.S. Graphic Design in their “Top Ten Most Influential Art Directors in the Past 50 Years”, and inducted by The Art Directors Club into their Hall of Fame.
Jay has taught masters’ classes at the School of Visual Arts and has written for various international publications and blogs on design, culture and creativity.