Andre Magracia’s fascination with how things work began early. As a child, he often dismantled the rotary phone or his lolo’s typewriter just to understand their mechanics.
That curiosity led him to De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, where he finished an industrial design degree. A passionate Pinoy basketball fan, he devoted his thesis to footwear designed for Philippine street courts.
He transitioned to digital product design during the pandemic, though his industrial design foundation continues to shape his process. He later earned a Master’s degree from the renowned Parsons School of Design in New York.
Now based in Brooklyn, Andre leads product design at JUICE Creative Group, working on university learning platforms, crypto gaming products, AI tools, and restaurant websites.
His independent project, Sneakpeak—an app for tracking exclusive sneaker drops—has earned multiple international honors, including Gold at the MUSE Design Awards and Online Design Award, Silver at the NY Product Design Awards, Bronze at the A’ Design Award and Competition, and a DesignRush App of the Month recognition.
“I’m proud of where I come from and how much we Pinoys love sports, especially basketball,” Magracia said. “I hope Sneakpeak can help more sneakerheads everywhere find the perfect pair for their next pickup game.”
His approach to visual design carries echoes from home. Jeepneys—layered with hand-painted religious symbols, pop-culture nods, and personal tributes—taught him early on that functional things can be full of character. Today, he aims to refine what exists without losing the stories that define it.
That philosophy is evident throughout his work. For Taco Guy, a casual Mexican restaurant, he redesigned the website to reflect its offbeat energy through organic shapes, hand-drawn fonts, and playful illustrations. The redesign won Gold at the W3 Awards and boosted traffic more than threefold.
He brings the same mindset to community work. Andre co-founded Liit Creative with a fellow Filipina designer to offer free workshops, toolkits, and mentorship for emerging creatives. He also serves as a mentor with Project Alpaca, supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds in tech.
“For a long time, I stripped a lot of identity out of my work to assimilate and appear more employable,” he admits. “Reconnecting with my own interests, culture, and storytelling has led to much stronger work, and that mindset now shapes both my design practice and how I mentor others.”
From Brooklyn to the global design stage, Magracia continues to prove that bringing your full cultural identity to your work isn’t just authentic, it’s what makes great design unforgettable.
