Voices
The Role Of Illustrators Within The Kid’s Industry 
Each season at Playtime Paris, our expert team selects 12 illustrators and design studios to exhibit in The Creative Space. This unique area of the show puts creativity on full display, empowering these pattern designers to meet with brands and visitors they already know, as well as discover new ones. The Creative Space is the perfect destination at the show for sparking new ideas and bringing them to life with the help of these talented creatives.
To introduce you to some of the illustrators you’ll meet in The Creative Space this winter, we asked them to pull back the curtain on this artistic profession. We wanted to learn more about what exactly illustrators can do for the brands they collaborate with, how their creative process works, and the added value they bring to collections season after season. Let’s see what they said and explore the job of an illustrator!
Put simply, the role of an illustrator or design studio is to create patterns. They often design a collection of their own prints each season, as well as work with brands on custom prints made just for them. These prints can find themselves on ready-to-wear, decor, packaging, bed linens, stationary, wallpaper, or whatever the client ultimately decides! Whether custom-made or from their own collection, illustrators will then work with the brand to adapt them to the final product. Patterns can be scaled up or down depending on the size, materials, or a range of other factors.
The role of illustrators according to Claudia Fasser is to imagine characters, shapes, and stories and transmit them onto paper (or an iPad!). Illustrators use a variety of materials and processes depending on their personal preferences. “I am attached to movement and tools, so naturally I develop a large portion of my designs by hand,” Margaux Fugier told us. “Between pencils, ink, and felt-tip pens, my drawings are teeming with little imperfections that bring a little ‘je-ne-sais-quoi to the prints.” She then digitizes her drawings to work on her final composition. She experiments with different orientations, adding and deleting elements until she is satisfied with the pattern.
As for Atelier ForteTête, she starts by working with a pencil on loose leaf paper. “This allows me to put all my ideas in front of myself, so I can mix and match different elements,” she says. After the illustration is composed, she turns to a light table and tests out different mediums. Using colored pencils, ink, or gouache paints, she experiments with graphic techniques. On occasion, she’ll even draw directly on her iPad. Regardless of where she starts, she then reworks her illustrations on Photoshop or Illustrator to make final adjustments. To finalize the design, she let’s her pattern settle for a while, then adjusts colors or scale to create harmony throughout her collection.
At Manet Design Studio, their original prints are handcrafted and digitally painted. They create digital files using software that makes it easy for their customers to adapt them.
While the specific creative process varies between each designer, they all praise the fact that every day is different in their profession. “One of the things I love about my job is that there is no typical day. I can spend hours creating to enrich my collection of patterns or working on custom prints for client projects” says Glitter Power Club. “There’s a lot of freedom in organizing my time,” she continues. “But, there is a commercial and administrative side as well,” Les Manies de Marion pointed out. “It’s important to keep your social media accounts up-to-date and respond to client requests.”
Amélie BroddesWhen beginning work on their own collection of patterns, illustrators go in search of inspiration. “I find inspiration from a variety of sources: exhibitions, books, colors, flowers, Instagram… it’s all around!” Amélie Broddes told us. For Briagëll Perret, she turns to print archives to spark her imagination. “I’m fascinated by Indian miniatures, Japanese prints, and medieval illuminations. I reinterpret them with my vision, paying careful attention to cadence and color harmony” she says. At Anaïs Creative Studio, she looks to children for inspiration. Their limitless imagination and unique view of the world nourishes her. She loves recreating the senses of innocence, curiosity, play, and wonder in her drawings.
To kickstart her new collections, Manet Design Studio looks no further than her daily life. “Watching my 4 year old daughter play and finding ways to create toys for her inspires me,” she told us. For other illustrators, they set themselves into a specific mood and go from there. Atelier ForteTête does this, opening her eyes wide as she flips through art books, goes for walks, and draws formal elements she finds interesting. Then, she imagines a city or country for her story to take place. This helps her think of flowers, animals and scenes that will bring the collection to life.
For Claudia Fasser, her design process typically begins with an initial phase of testing ideas, sketching, playing, and experimenting. She starts with quirky, imperfect drawings. While keeping the attributes that make them dynamic, charming, and human, Claudia polishes them for the finished pattern.
Claudia FasserFor Holy Fibers, she loves being able to live a fully creative life. She spends her days drawing, working in her studio with colors and storytelling, reading, and cooking, all while listening to music. Regardless of how they create, the patterns these illustrators design can make all the difference for a brand’s collection. Holy Fibers says, “All creatives who produce images for brands contribute to embodying it, giving it substance. We help deploy the brand’s universe and build its identity.” She notes that differentiation is key, especially in a market as competitive as kids’ fashion and lifestyle. “Working with illustrators with a strong identity allows them to bring more personality, depth, authenticity, and humanity to their brand,” she continues.
When working with a brand, illustrators need to fit into a collection theme, rather than imagine the starting point. Atelier ForteTête told us this involves balancing her visual identity with the project, while adapting to the brand’s universe and target. “I suggest different design ideas, adjusting them with the brand to arrive at the perfect print,” she says. For her, the technical and creative work are the same as when she designs for her own collection, but she must also understand what her client expects from the print.
“There are many ways to collaborate with a brand,” Amélie Broddes explains. “The first consists of meeting clients directly at a trade show like Playtime where we are presenting our designs. The second option is to create a custom pattern according to the client’s needs.” she says. When clients are able to find a pattern that speaks to them among the illustrator’s collection, they leave with a sample and Amélie sends them a digital version adapted for printing. If they decide to create something custom, the brand provides a moodboard, idea, or color palette. Amélie then works in close collaboration with them to create a design that is perfectly aligned with what the client imagined.
Anaïs Creative Studio’s favorite part of working with brands is the co-creation phase when they exchange ideas. “I particularly appreciate the moment when the creative vision of the brand merges with my universe to create something unique,” she says.
“It is important to really understand a brand to be able to create designs that fit them like a glove,” notes Holy Fibers. The illustrator needs to understand not only the brand’s universe and values, but also those of their customers. She finds that the universe of the brands she works with fuse naturally with her own. “The brands come to me because there is an affinity between our respective universes,” she says. Holy Fibers believes the personality of the creative behind the pattern always shines through. At the same time, working on commissions nourishes her own universe.
For Briagëll Perret, she’s been lucky to collaborate with brands that come to her for the qualities consistent in her prints. Her balance of classical compositions with modern colors and graphics are unique. Working with brands in search of this aesthetic has made it easy to harmonize her universe and theirs. She likes to create detailed, refined drawings that remain light so they can become repeating patterns. Like Holy Fibers, she finds that each collaboration helps her work evolve further.
Margaux FugierIn terms of collaborations, Glitter Power Club has worked with both Jelly Mallow from South Korea and State Bags from the United States, to name just a few. Both brands chose patterns directly from her catalog. They fell instantly in love with her naive, colorful styles. For both brands, her prints aligned with their artistic direction for the collections. She has continued to collaborate with them over time. Glitter Power Club also works with other brands on custom prints. In these cases, they like her illustrative style and have a specific theme in mind they want her to work on.
When asked if there was a difference when collaborating with fashion or lifestyle brands, she said the artistic approach remains the same. “I can adapt my designs to certain technical constraints depending on the product. By reducing the repetition of a motif, it can be adapted to an accessory. For a garment, it can help to space it out further,” she explained.
For Anaïs Creative Studio, her collaboration with Tartine et Chocolat started when she was approached by the brand’s collection manager. She was invited to create an illustration for the baby and junior girl sections. From the very first exchange with the design studio, Anaïs was immersed in their elegant, delicate universe. She was guided by carefully constructed moodboards and a refined color palette. After Anaïs understood the values and unique identity of the brand, she was able to let her imagination run wild to design something that captured the essence of Tartine et Chocolat. “It was a creative challenge, but I loved every moment. The satisfaction of giving life to such an enchanting universe was a real pleasure,” she told us.
Print by Anaïs Creative Studio for Tartine et ChocolatMargaux Fugier works often with the brand Bonheur du Jour. For their collaboration, she was approached directly by their creative team. They flipped through her print catalog and fell in love with her designs. “I have a lovely stock of Indian prints that work perfectly with the brand’s DNA,” she told us. Margaux and Bonheur du Jour work hand in hand to choose the colorways for the prints they select. This helps further adapt them to the brand and the season. Margaux also let us know that there may be two more prints from her you’ll be able to discover at Bonheur du Jour soon…
“Trade shows are the occasion for meeting with clients and presenting my designs,” Les Manies de Marion told us. She also finds new brands to continue growing her network. “‘Meetings’ is the keyword for these events” she says. She finds it important to get real-time feedback on her work, and that being present at key trade shows puts her at the forefront of tomorrow’s top trends.
Amélie Broddes adds that she comes to make herself known, to show her universe to existing and potential clients. When at a trade show, she’s looking to interact and create social links with other designers, too. “Above all, it’s a place to meet and share,” Amélie told us.
For Claudia Fasser, it’s all about seeing illustrations on products! “I’m the kind of person that wishes children’s clothing and furniture came in adult sizes,” she told us. “I am full of ideas, and looking for more connections with fellow professionals in the industry. I’m in search of opportunities to work on beautiful projects with brands that share my aesthetic and values.”
Amélie Broddes at Playtime Paris, Winter 2022We absolutely love that sentiment, and can’t wait to meet these illustrators in The Creative Space at Playtime Paris January 25-27. Now that you know more about what incredible value collaborating with these creatives can bring your brand, make sure to stop by and meet them!
Buyers, these collaborations aren’t just for brands! Make your own unique prints to decorate custom wrapping paper or stationary that will solidify your store in the minds of your customers. Get your pass and start planning your visit to Playtime Paris to create something all your own with the help of the 12 wonderful illustrators you’ll find there!
