EACH PROJECT:MAPPED OUT

These projects represent how I approach creative work — not just as ideas, but as things that need structure to exist and grow. Through Kiin, DAA, NED, Salvillage, and LHAF, I explore different ways of developing, organizing, and bringing concepts to life, whether that’s through systems, product design, or community-based initiatives. Each one reflects my focus on turning something abstract into something tangible, while keeping the process intentional and adaptable. Together, they show how I work: building clarity within complexity and creating projects that can actually move forward.

Kiin is less a single brand and more a family of connected projects. Each one has its own role, but they’re all built to support each other — sharing materials, ideas, and purpose. The name comes from “kin,” because nothing here stands alone; everything is stronger through its connection.

A lot of what’s made across Kiin starts with recycled or overlooked materials, which naturally feeds back into the system. Because of that, it works more like an ecosystem — one that can grow and sustain itself by reusing, reshaping, and building from what’s already there.

KIIN IS AN ECOSYSTEM

WHERE CREATIVITY IS RELATIVE TO COMMUNITY.

I describe KIIN as a creative ecosystem.  It’s built on shared values and foundational ideas that allow different projects to grow in their own direction while still remaining connected.

Each project explores creativity through a different lens, but they all stem from the same intention — building meaningful, collaborative spaces. Kiin has nine brands but I’ll be focussing on four to offer insight into my process and creative philosophy.

Using Kiin as the rubric, Lhaf, Ned, Salvillage and DAA will be broken down so you understand how they came to be, why they exist and what their existence means for your projects. The rubric is as follows: The Problem, The Challenge, The Solution, The Approach, The Considerations, The Process and The Impact.

CHALLENGES.

B

A lack of affordable, accessible and creative support in the form of spaces, tools, collaboration and development.

Scope creep across multiple initiatives 
Resource limitations 
Maintaining cohesion across projects

Design a space where creative tools are accessible, collaboration is mutually beneficial, and development is comprehensive and authentic.

Ensure the space is approachable (inclusive - all stages/backgrounds of creative development are welcome) and affordable in terms of the process (my end) and accessibility (memberships need feel suppoted and seen when it comes to what Kiin provides through its memberships).

Develop an actionable blueprint detailing a plan for sustainability and community lead programs.

PROBLEM.

SOLUTIONS.

A

C

THE APPROACH

Kiin was a complex undertaking. I needed to look at it like an already functioning system and work backwards in order to really make sense of all its components. Each “brand” needed to serve a dual purpose. Each one needed to be self sustaining and to support the creative development of individuals and communities.

This approach allowed for a relatively straight forward process but one that took many iterations before it became what it was meant to be. 

Kii’n’s development wasn’t exactly linear but more like a reverse firework. Many ideas and concepts developed inwards to form a circular system of resourceful design, authentic collaboration and community lead initiatives.

I took what I already had (ideas + concepts + materials) and turned them into something executable/ tangible (brands, programs and paths to self sustaining community support). It began with a desire to design a space that would welcome creative individuality and developed into a concept that will go on to help communities embrace it.

THE PROCESS

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

How can I raise funds honestly and with Kiin’s principals in mind?

The development of Kiin required a unique working structure. Although I was working independently, I approached the project using agile and scrum-inspired methods, treating different areas of my skill set as separate functional roles. This allowed me to delegate responsibilities across research, design, strategy, and production while maintaining a structured, iterative workflow.

Kiin is being developed through a phased and intentional rollout. While the full platform is still expanding, several core initiatives are already active and operational. This portfolio focuses on NED, DAA, Salvillage, and LHAF as working examples of Kiin’s collaborative and design-driven framework.

THE IMPACT

Am I spreading Kiin's purpose too thinly across too many brands?

How can I develop several brands whilst maintaining Kiin's creative diversity.

KIIN WANTED TO BE A COMMUNITY RESOURCE

BUT THERE WERE ROADBLOCKS.

SOMETHING TO BE CREATIVE IN.

ned

NOTICE EVERY DESIGNER

I DESIGNED A SELECTION OF FUNCTIONAL CREATIVE GARMENTS WITH PRACTICALITY, IDENTITY BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROCEP OINT IN MIND. EACH ONE NEEDED TO BALANCE AFFORDABILITY ON A CONSUMER AND PRODUCTION LEVEL. THIS INTENTIONALLY PUT AUTHENTICITY FIRST IN DESIGN AND HOW IT WOULD INTRODUCE ITSELF TO THE PUBLIC.

OVER THE YEARS, I'VE STAINED, DYED, AND ACCIDENTALLY BLEACHED CLOTHES I SHOSE TO WEAR WHEN DESIGNING THINGS.

I REALISED I HAD BECOME MORE CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING WHAT I WAS WEARING THAN WHAT I WAS WORKING ON. ALTHOUGH CREATIVE-WEAR ALREADY EXISTS, THE PRICE CAN SOMETIMES CREATIVE THE SAME HESITATION.

HOW CAN I DESIGN A LINE OF FUNCTIONAL AND AFFORDABLE GARMENTS FOR A WIDE RANGE OF CREATIVE PRACTICES WHILST KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE?

THE PROBLEM

THE SOLUTION

NED EVOLVED THROUGH SEVERAL KEY DECISIONS

WHAT I NEEDED TO DO WAS STEP BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO WORK WITH YOUR HANDS AND APPLY THAT TO MATERIAL CHOICE, CREATIVE NEEDS AND FIT.

I SIMPLIFIED THE DESIGN
I DEFINED CLEARER BOUNDARIES WHEN IT CAME TO SCOPE AND SUSTAINABILITY
PRODUCTION DECISIONS WERE GUIDED BY LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE TO BE ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANT DETAILS

STEP 1

THE PROCESS

ROADBLOCK

These choices transformed ned from an experimental idea into a structured design system.

HOW CAN I MAINTAIN RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION METHOFS WITH MINIMAL FUNDS?

HOW WILL I EXECUTE MY PLAN OF DESIGNING FOR A WIDE RANGE OF CREATIVE NEEDS WITH MINIMAL GARMENT DESIGN EXPERIENCE?

I IMPLEMENTED A MORE SUSTAINABLE DYEING METHOD WHICH USED LESS WATER FOR BOTH DYING AND RINSING.

I RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL IMPACT AN AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, AND COLLABORATIVE ALTERNATIVE COULD HAVE WITHIN SMALL CREATIVE COMMUNITIES.

THAT REALISATION LED TO THE CREATION OF NED (NOTICE EVERY DESIGNER) - A PROJECT ROOTED IN ACCESSIBILITY, RESOURCEFULNESS, AND THE BELIEF THAT CREATIVITY SHOULD BE SUPPORTED NOT RESTRICTED.

FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS THE PHRSE "IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, DON'T BUY IT" BECAME A GUIDING PRINCIPLE IN MY APPRAOCH TO CLOTHING.

IT ENCOURAGED ME TO MOVE AWAY FROM RESOURCE-INTENSIVE PRODUCTION METHODSAND INSTEAD EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF REPURPOSED MATERIALS, SUCH AS DUST SHEETS AS A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND ACCESSIBLE ALTERNATIVE.

INSTEAD OF APPROACHING THIS PROJECT AS A GARMENT DESIGNER OUT OF THEIR DEPTH, I APPROACHED IT LIKE A PROJECT MANAGER WOULD. I STEPPED BACK AND ASSESSED HOW EACH PIECE FUNCTIONED WITHIN A CREATIVE CONTEXT. WITH THIS VIEW, I WAS ABLE TO DECIDED ON WHAT WORED AND WHAT DIDNT.

DESIGNING A VERSATILE COLLECTION OF CREATIVE GARMENTS THAT MADE ANYONE WHO WORE THEM FEEL SEEN REGARDLESS OF METHOD OR STYLE WAS A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE, BOUNDLESS TASK WHEN i WORDED IT SO LITERALLY.

STEP 2

STEP 3

TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

ADAPTION

THE IMPACT

NED NOW EXISTS AS FIVE FUNCTIONAL GARMENT DESIGNS. TO INTRODUCE THE PROJECT AUTHENTICALLY, I DEVELOPED CREATIVE IN, A SERIES WHERE MAKERES, ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS TEST NED WHILE REFELCTING ON THEIR CREATIVE IDENTITY.

Creative In

Salvillage was developed to transform waste streams into functional, intentional products while reframing how materials are valued in the creative process.

The Solution

When developing other projects, I accumulated a lot of scrap wood, dyed water, and a lot of used paper. I didn’t see them as trash — but I also wasn’t doing anything productive with them. This made me think about how easily it can be to contribute to the problem (excessive waste) even when you’re trying to do something good (design)Salvillage

Questions I needed to answer:

Are these designs practical?
Will sourced materials make my process more sustainable or will it become a hindrance?
In order to ensure each design is structurally sound, would a majority of the materials need to be purchased rather than sourced?
How can each design be collaborative ?

The Problem

I shifted from an approach rooted in guilt-driven obligation to one rooted in resourceful repurposing. Salvillage became a project focused on material accountability through design.

Reclaimed pallet wood became The WOULD (We Only Use the Less Desirable) Stool, a portable customizable stool.
Wood offcuts and repurposed textiles became SeatFour, a modular seating system and The Art Board
Handmade paper became PLACE - uniquely shaped bookmarks and PULP, functional, paper based holder containing naturally adhesive tabs designed to support reflection and introspection

The Process

Every material informed the design process. Rooted in KIIN's belief in resourceful creativity, a system was developed to collect unused materials such as scrap paper, wood pallets, and cardboard (SM/LE), which Salvillage then transformed into products including the WOULD Stool, SeatFour, PULP, and the Art Board.

Designed with sustainability and collaboration in mind, these products were created primarily from recycled and repurposed materials, significantly reducing production costs and allowing more resources to be directed towards collaborative initiatives. The WOULD Stool, SeatFour, and the Art Board were also intended to act as blank canvases for textile artists, print designers, and illustrators to make their own.

Iteration occasionally drifted into scope creep which took up time and resources. Returning to Salvillage’s core principle: Nothing wasted. Everything utilized - allowed me to get back on track.

I reassessed scope to keep iterations feasible
I refined the system for handling inconsistent materials
I prioritized designs that honored each material whilst understanding the collaborative opportunities

Salvillage now functions as Kiin’s sustainability arm, turning waste into viable products. It demonstrates that sustainability is foundational, not an afterthought. View finaldesigns here:

THE IMPACT

Salvillage

LHAF (LOVE - Life, Opportunities, Validation and Experiences - Had a Face) supports creatives navigating pauses, pivots, and delays without judgment, offering structured care and actionable opportunities for growth through curated events and thoughtful conversations

(LOVE HAD A FACE)

THE PROBLEM

Existing creative programs often prioritise output, presentation, and professional development over personal reconnection with creativity.
Experiences such as creative grief, missed potential, and identity misalignment are rarely acknowledged or supported.
Without spaces for reflection and reconnection, many creatives are left feeling isolated and uncertain about how to move forward.

THE CHALLENGES

Create space for creatives to step away from pressure and reconnect with who they thought they’d be by turning the feeling of being off-track into something visible, understood, and creatively actionable. Through curated events, meaningful conversations and collaboratoin, impact communities from the inside out.

EACH EVENT TYPE WAS DESIGNED WITH A CREATIVE PERSON IN MIND

THE SOLUTION

Translating an internal, emotional experience into something tangible and engaging
Designing experiences that support different levels of disconnection
Measuring impact when the outcomes are internal (identity, clarity, reconnection)

Practical validation through small, achievable financial wins or resource allocation. LHAF’s Incremental Funding gatherings are designed to help break big ideas into smaller, achievable steps, making it easier to get the backing needed because progress—no matter how slow—is still progress, and small projects deserve to move forward.

Structured networking designed to produce actionable connections. Creating a space where real connections can happen through understanding who, why and where they see themselves in the future.

Expanding creative circles intentionally. LHAF takes the time to get to know its attendees beforehand—what they’re looking for, how they see themselves and how they want to be seen. The connections LHAF endeavors to make are authentic, creative and built to last.

Tangible tools, not just advice LHAF’s Resource Sharing gatherings exist to focus on figuring out what’s missing and finding ways to fill in the gaps—whether that’s gear, tools or guidance -sometimes a little support is all it takes to get things going again.

To secure space for LHAF and The FHAL, I had to take a calculated risk: trading my creative work for venue access. That meant figuring out exactly how much my contribution was worth compared to the cost of the space.

THE EXCHANGE

THE PROCESS

The process for LHAF and The FHAL combined creative design with practical execution. I developed the “Missed Connections” themes for each of LHAF’s four categories, structured The FHAL episodes to highlight participant journeys, and implemented the Kiin Exchange Program to align creative contributions with production and recording needs. Together, these elements ensured a cohesive, meaningful experience for both participants and audiences.

To navigate this roadblock, I’d need to get really clear on what I bring to the table, be flexible with how that value can match the venue’s needs, and be willing to negotiate creatively to make the trade work for both sides.

FUNDING

WHAT'S MISING?

TAILORED OPPORTUNITIES

A SOLID SUPPORT SYSTEM

SUSTAINABILITY

A SAFE SPACE FOR BRAINSTORMING

DEDICATED MENTORS

AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS

LIKE-MINDED COLLABORATORS

CREATIVE IDENTITY: VALIDATED

AN UNDERSTANDING PLATFORM

Each event will attempt to bridge the gap between you and who you thought you'd be creatively. Based on missed connections posts, each event is presented in a way that reaches out to creatives who feel they've missed out on certain opportunities in their lives.

LHAF is currently in a position where it can execute what it set out to do: reach creatives who have paused, pivoted, disconnected from or are unconscious of who they’re meant to be through curated events and thoughtful conversation.

VIEW

The audio series (The FAHL) extends events narratively, guiding listeners through the individual experiences of forgiveness, acceptance, and growth

THE IMPACT

VIEW

DAA is a transitional development program designed to help young creatives understand their creative identity, develop practical tools, and build meaningful connections so they can confidently step into real creative environments.

The DAA is structured in a way that helps students understand how they learn, create and collaborate with their own identity in mind, not the one they feel they need to have. That understanding will hopefully provide a strong enough foundation to build on.

The DAA sets out to answer “will I need further education after I graduate?” not with a “no” but with a “know who you are before you ask yourself”.

ORIGINAL LINES - FOR ORIGINAL IDEAS

Creative students graduating high school are often pushed toward higher education as the default next step, despite many feeling uncertain about their direction, identity, or readiness. There are limited structured alternatives that support creative development outside of traditional institutions, leaving students to choose between committing to costly, rigid programs or navigating their growth alone without guidance, resources, or validation.

This gap makes it difficult for emerging creatives to build confidence in their abilities, explore their potential on their own terms, and develop a sustainable path forward.

Create a structured program that supports students transitioning out of traditional schooling and into professional, hands on placements and positions and provide some of the guidance, exposure, and development opportunities they need in order to answer career defining questions.

Being viewed as a replacement rather than an opportunity.
Alienating the target audience by trying to hard to connect with them
Not delivering in the way each memeber expected or needed/ falling short of expectations
Measuring impact when the outcomes are internal (identity, clarity, reconnection)

Can DAA support students during major transitional periods?
What sort of accompanying tool can I design to support student development? **
How can I maintain accessibility without introducing financial barriers?
How should I integrate multiple creative initiatives into one cohesive development framework?

In order to tackle every challenge, I broke down my approach into three stages. I identified the main purpose of each of Kiin’s brands and reframed them in a way that spoke to identity, development or collaboration. This three-stage framework gently moves each student from identifying what makes them creative right through to affirming who they are as creatives. 

THE APPROACH

COUP supports identity exploration and creative profiling. LHAF introduces mentorship and industry conversations through curated events. Original Lines (OL) provides a personal tool for documenting ideas and reflections 

NED introduces functional creative tools and design thinking. Salvillage + SM/LE highlight material storytelling and sustainable resource use and NAAMIO explores collaborative creative production and realignment.

Kiinshop provides a platform for presenting and distributing creative work and ODAAAT encourages reflection, documentation, and creative well-being practices 

I integrated existing KIIN initiatives into a cohesive developmental ecosystem, allowing students to move through stages that gradually expand their confidence, skills, and community connections. Rather than operating as a rigid curriculum, the framework provides structure while still allowing participants to explore their creative paths organically.

A key challenge for the DAA program is ensuring that participation remains financially accessible with no direct cost to students. While the program is designed to be free, certain components involve the production of creative work, where a portion of proceeds will be reinvested to support long-term sustainability.

To address this challenge, DAA will adopt a transparency-first, participant-centered approach that clearly communicates how value is created and reinvested within the program. Any revenue generated through participant work will be structured as a shared benefit, with contributors retaining ownership and receiving fair recognition, while a defined portion supports program sustainability.

THE IMPACT
The DAA has created a structured yet flexible entry point into the creative industries for students who want to begin building their careers immediately after high school. By combining identity development, mentorship, practical tools, and collaborative platforms, the program helps participants gain the clarity, confidence, and support needed to navigate the early stages of their creative careers.

Along with DAA’s framework, I designed a tool to accompany students on their journeys. OL (Original Lines is a sketch/ notebook hybrid that walks users through three stages early ideas can take on. I hope OL can support each students as much as DAA plans to.

ORIGINAL LINES - FOR ORIGINAL IDEAS

DAA SNEAK PEAK

ORIGINAL LINES FOR ORIGINAL IDEAS
OL (Original Lines) is built into the DAA program as a practical, ongoing tool for thinking on paper—something students can return to at every stage to capture, question, and develop their ideas in real time. Rather than treating ideas as something you only “figure out” at the end, OL helps track the full process: the rough starts, the shifts in direction, the moments that almost get lost. It’s designed to support how DAA approaches creativity—resourcefully, honestly, and over time.

There are two versions of OL: one tailored to the DAA program for ages 16–21, and another adapted for middle school students, reflecting KIIN’s intention to introduce a more analog, hands-on way of working through ideas earlier on. Both versions also open up a collaborative layer through illustration. The younger edition incorporates comic-style visuals to make idea-building feel more accessible and engaging, while the program version features three illustrations per section to reflect different stages of development.

OL becomes not just a tool for students, but a platform for young artists as well—inviting them to contribute by designing the comics and drawings, and embedding their perspectives directly into how others learn to create.

V1

V2

The DAA program brings together each of KIIN’s brands as active parts of the learning process, with every project reworked into its own stage of development. Instead of existing as separate ideas, NAAMIO, COUP, and the others are used as structured entry points—each one guiding students through a different way of thinking, making, and understanding their work.

Through these stages, students aren’t just learning concepts in isolation; they’re moving through real creative frameworks that reflect how ideas are built, challenged, and carried forward over time.Below are glimpses into how I've taken what makes NAAMIO and COUP unique and translated into an opportunity for authentic development: