"You don’t just shut your laptop and switch your brain off at 5:30 PM like other jobs," she explains. "Creativity isn’t a job you clock out of; it’s a lifestyle."
This "always-on" nature of the creative mind is both a challenge and a source of profound fulfillment. Templeman describes seeing the world through a "completely different lens," where inspiration is pulled from the most unexpected sources—be it a pattern in the street, a conversation overheard in a cafe, or a piece of music. This constant state of observation and processing is what fuels the energy she brings to her projects at Pearlfisher.
"That drive is inherently wired into me, and I genuinely couldn’t turn it off even if I tried," she says. "I see the world through a completely different lens; my eyes and ears are constantly open and pulling inspiration from the most unexpected places 24/7, always thinking. I honestly love it and couldn’t see myself ever not doing it. It’s a deep-rooted passion, and I like to think that energy translates directly into the work."
A Legacy Defined by ‘Gaisgeil’
When reflecting on how she wishes to be remembered, Templeman returns to her Scottish roots, choosing a word that encapsulates her professional philosophy and her personal drive. That word is Gaisgeil.
A term from Scottish Gaelic, Gaisgeil (pronounced approximately as gash-gale) carries a weight that simple English translations often fail to capture. It describes someone who is not only brave and courageous but also fiercely capable and determined. It suggests a person who pursues their goals with an unwavering passion and a sense of heroic resolve.
"It is a deeply empowering word that roughly translates to someone who is brave and fiercely capable," Templeman notes. "Embodying an unwavering determination to achieve a goal and does so with passion."
In an industry that often demands a balance between artistic vulnerability and corporate grit, Gaisgeil serves as a fitting descriptor for Templeman’s career. From her early days in Scotland to her current leadership at one of London’s most influential agencies, her journey has been defined by a willingness to challenge the status quo—whether by embracing "ugly" design, conquering personal doubt, or holding the line against the encroachment of algorithmic feedback. For Chloë Templeman, the future of design remains, as it always has been, a profoundly human endeavor.
