The Stand Outs- Ariel Fox Design
Name: Ariel Johnson
Company Name: Ariel Fox Design Inc .
Title: President & Principal
How do you describe the work you do?
We are a boutique interior architecture and design firm celebrating ten years of storytelling through space and environment. We focused in the multifamily and hospitality market.
What do you think makes you stand out?
I have always curated a group of standout female designers and architects to populate our firm. What started out as a gender experiment has turned into a “let your hair down” culture of incredible support, empowerment and explosive creativity.
Who are your heroes?
I try to surround myself with accessable female heroes. My best friends are women who have broken the glass ceiling and who are willing to take risks. I celebrate with them, cry with them and believe in them. It’s all about finding your tribe of real support.
In the past six months, who or what has stood out and inspired you?
My husband struggled with depression for years. Through his dedication in the practice of meditation, exercise and a focus on positive thought he has designed a new life for himself. It’s truly humbling to have experienced his transformation. Mental health is the most critical yet most elusive problem we struggle with as a society. By embracing it, we can lift the isolation and shame.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
“Keep trying, you’ll get better” – Daniel Tiger
What change do you want to see in the world?
I believe change is happening now. It’s a slow burn but exposure to injustice and inequality is changing our consciousness. I’m raising my son to be aware of a woman’s world. I expect a new social landscape in a decade.
How are you integrating that wish for change into the work that you do?
It’s always the small changes that add up to the big ones. By employing only women and focusing our purchasing power on female owned companies and female makers, I’m directing support and funds on righting an imbalance.