Filipino designer rediscovers identity in New York
For Andre Magracia, empathy anchors his creations and community is central to his practice.
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For Andre Magracia, empathy anchors his creations and community is central to his practice.
ANDRE Magracia
ANDRE in school.
IN costume to watch ‘Wicked.’
ANDRE, the F1 enthusiast.
TACOGUY.
SNEAKPEAK.
LIIT Workshop.
BAR Bushido.
Andre Magracia grew up in Las Piñas, where the internet was slow, old mobile phones were passed down, and design was not conceived as a viable future.
Today, he resides and works in the tech empire of New York — surrounded by museums and studios — where he builds a career as a product designer, fueled by his Filipino roots and how users experience the world through physical objects.
Self-described as a basketball and aircraft nerd, Andre was raised in a Filipino household where he learned early on that creative work was often equated with art and instability. Although his mother, Mary Ann — whose maiden name he carries — and his only sibling, a sister, now live in France, his formative years in Las Piñas grounded him in practicality. Design — if it appeared at all — was something admired from a distance.
And yet, it found him anyway.
Sneakers and basketball played a pivotal role in this discovery. As a teenager, Andre spent hours on NikeID, a way to experiment and customize colors and patterns on shoes. “I did not know it yet, but this was one of my favorite digital experiences as a teenager.”
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He earned his bachelor’s degree from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, training initially in industrial design. As an intern in a company supplying accessories and bags to major shopping malls, he was requested to redesign a simple website. The outcome impressed his boss enough to offer him a full-time role, helping launch new brands online. That moment led a path from physical products to digital platforms. Andre immersed in e-commerce and tech in the Philippines before he moved to New York to pursue a master’s degree at Parsons School of Design.
In a new country, pressures to prove himself amid the loss of his own culture was a challenge. He shed his identity and focused solely on product design for the tech industry.
Currently, Andre works as a product designer at JUICE Creative Group, a design agency based in Connecticut. The projects span crypto, web3 and e-commerce. But what drew him in was an alignment in values. “The common thread I’ve enjoyed most is when there’s a strong story behind the product,” he said. For him, the best output happens when design becomes collaborative.
Much of his design philosophy is rooted in lived experience. Growing up with slow internet and older devices made him acutely aware of limitation and access. “Now I pay close attention to how things operate with older devices and slower Internet. So, I always make sure my designs are responsive. And I’ve learned to be creative within constraints, even when space or performance is limited,” he said.
Ultimately, empathy anchors his creations. Decisions about gestures, typography, or button placement are always made with the end user in mind. Design must function for those who think and interact differently.
Alongside client’s demands, Andre continues to develop personal projects. Sneakpeak, a passion project which began during grad school, is an app to help sneaker enthusiasts track exclusive drops and receive personalized alerts. While app development remains resource-intensive, the resource already has a dedicated website. It has received multiple recognitions, to include the A’ Design Awards, W3 Awards, Muse Design Awards and New York Product Design Awards.
Community, too, is central to his practice. He co-founded Liit Design with a fellow Filipina designer to share tools and lessons they wished they had early on in life. Through workshops, mentorships and shared resources, Liit aims to lower barriers to entry.
One of its most notable initiatives, Le Figma Bakery: A Workshop with a Twist, uses pastry-themed, activity-based learning to introduce participants to the software. The workshop has ran three times, improving with each iteration, and has now expanded through partnerships with nonprofits and community groups.
In New York, basketball remains a constant, now shared through a local league introduced by another Filipino. Karaoke nights filled with OPM, musical theater, museum visits, pop-ups, film screenings and long walks through parks ease the burden. When stress builds up, he turns to therapy, movement, Japanese food — his favorite, yet not the “healthiest,” he confesses — and the comfort of having something on the calendar to anticipate.
Let’s sit down with Andre and find out more about his own experiences:
On finding your identity
“When I transitioned into tech and moved to a new country, I found myself stripping a lot of personality and identity out of my job in an effort to assimilate, appear employable, and find stability in a new environment. Reconnecting with my own interests, culture, storytelling, and play has led to much stronger, more fulfilling work. And that mindset now shapes both my design practice and how I mentor others.”
On the use of artificial intelligence
“It isn’t ideal. But in terms of AI usage, I personally don’t feel like I have a choice but to adapt. Similar to how old school designers and architects were replaced by counterparts who would do CAD (computer-aided design) I could very well be replaced not by AI itself, but by other designers who use AI in their processes.”
On design inspirations
“I take inspiration from sources outside what I’m working on. If I’m designing a website, I don’t just look at other websites. I focus on digital product design now. But my background is in physical product design, and that still deeply informs how I think.
“I love places like the Transit Museum and the TWA Hotel because they blend storytelling, nostalgia, and function in ways that still feel fresh. I’ve always paid more close attention to physical, human-designed experiences like museum exhibits, retail environments, signage and transit systems. They’re built to guide people in specific ways and I find that kind of intentionality really useful when designing in the digital world.”
On the Philippine jeepneys
“Growing up in the Philippines, as a kid, jeepneys were just a means of transport: loud, busy, always full. But as I got older, I began to see how unique they are. The combination of bold hand-painted lettering, religious symbols, pop-culture references, and sometimes even faces of loved ones turns everyday transportation into a collective art form. Here in the US, I can’t see anything like it. Besides being influenced by the artistry and creativity, I also keep this in mind when modernizing product interfaces. I try to improve what exists without erasing the character, stories, or community behind it.”
On future projects
“My partner and I are both big Formula 1 fans. We love predicting podium finishes before the start of every race. I’m currently playing around with the design of a small web app which makes that experience more fun visually, interactive, and shareable. You’d be able to predict, compare them with friends in real time, and even track your accuracy throughout the F1 season.
“My most meaningful project is something that’s still in the works. Sadly, my partner and I lost our dog this past November. We are currently designing a pet memorial website since the other ones we found are paid or usually are just extra webpages tacked onto the websites of pet cremation service companies.”
