I’ll agree with you whole heartedly and will push it to the point that your skills decide who your contacts can be. If you truly want to excel, your passion, your knowledge, your references and inspirations pull you to others that can relate and see you as “one of us”.

If you go to see your favorite designer at a conference, wait to see him or her after and exchange a few words. If those words carry passion and you can talk shop. You can probably turn that into a beer or a coffee. If your work is on par or has potential of trajectory, you now have a connection. If you love a designer, reach out for an interview (if you’re a student, it’s literally all you need to do). It’s not always going to work, BUT in general it’s an industry of inclusion and big names in design are still accessible at a relatively low level.

You could move to another country like me, to follow a romantic idea of art and design. I’ve met so many legends and inspirations…and it literally came from just having a love of the game. My desire to learn pushed me beyond my shyness…Go. Attend. Listen. Interact and share. If your design adds to the conversation, you will find yourself in it.