What excited you most about working on this project?

To see my work coming to life on fabric was very exciting for me, because I’ve seen my work on paper and ceramic prior, but never on textiles. And best of all, to work with Organic Zoo — which was and is still my favourite kids' clothing brand — I couldn’t ask for more. I still remember the day I woke up and saw Paulina’s message about collaborating, I literally jumped out of my bed smiling, while showing the text to Kenny!

The winter scene you created feels so warm and nostalgic—what inspired it?

We love winter and we love to travel during the winter season — especially to the Nordic region. Every one of our winter holidays is very dear to us, they’re filled with special memories. We remember the moments, the moods, the things we see, the people and friends we meet, the experiences — all of these, I guess, when put together, all contribute to the warmth we feel in our hearts and the vibes.

Organic Zoo is all about comfort, simplicity, and timeless childhood magic. How did you weave those values into your winter scene?

I think we share many similar traits. It was quite natural for me to weave all of these values into my drawings and designs for Organic Zoo. My drawings (I hope) are not complicated at all. I want them to be as simple as they can be. I’m constantly tapping on the natural textures and colors from my art materials, like the rawness and the natural qualities of the pastels that I use. And I love seeing how every little Cosy and Wild element tells its own story and scene.  

Can you walk us through the process of bringing this cosy winter illustration to life—from initial ideas to the final design on clothing?

Paulina and I worked very closely right from the start, she had a very clear vision and idea for this collection, which she was able to brief me very clearly. I was immediately drawn to the ‘Cosy and Wild’ theme, I felt like it was almost paradoxical, which made the collection very interesting for us to work on. During my creative process and while coming up with ideas, I drew up a list of cosy and wild elements and then I handpicked the most suitable ones. Every element, I felt, had to have the potential where I could create or tell little stories from, whether on its own or when placed together with other elements. My hope was that each element could spark the imagination and stories between parents and their children, as they pick out or put on any piece of the collection. Or, as kids love to pretend play, these elements can also be a form of their creativity and expression. When I had finally completed my elements and drawings, I saw how Paulina’s expertise in textiles and the design of the collection helped bring all of my drawings to life, which was amazing. Every idea and intent for the illustrations came through in the pieces; there was no compromise. I was really thrilled to see the end results and the quality of the actual pieces.

Were there any particular inspirations (memories, places, stories) behind the winter scene?

There were many from our winter holidays to pick from. But the one that stuck out for me was our very first Nordic adventure in 2024, when we saw the magnificent fjords in Norway for the very first time! It was snowy, the travel can be somewhat arduous, but the scenes we took in, plus the experiences we had, we’ll never forget. What’s most precious, though, was how we made new friends during our travels and got to spend time at Bloom Concepts, one of our stockists in Stavanger, and meeting Andreea, the owner, who’s now a dear friend. We were invited to a cosy dinner in her home and we had a lovely time with her family too.