Recycling comfort 

Teddy

Corcoran School of the Arts and Design

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RESPONSIBILITY

Design Research, Audience Testing, Fashion Design, Brand Identity, Graphic Design, UX UI Design, Copywriting

What if a fashion statement could help millennials transition into adulthood?

CONTEXT 

To explore the process of human centered design, we were tasked with physically creating an innovation that addressed a target audience challenge. I took my invention a step further, transforming it into a brand.

CHALLENGE

I focused on young adult millennials struggling to enter adulthood. Rising levels in depression, burnout and loneliness plagues the generation, making the typical markers of maturity feel unattainable and out of reach. 

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INSIGHT

Transitional objects — teddy bears, security blankets —are used during early childhood development to help infants gain emotional independence. They signify the first level of self-sustainability, enabling children to comfort themselves. What if our millennials in limbo had their own portable source of confidence and support?

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EXPERIENCE

Enter, Teddy.

Teddy* takes well-loved, life-size teddy bears and transforms them into anxiety abating fashion statements, reassuring millenials that even though they may never be able to buy a house, it's all going to be okay. Complete with a self-recording sound device and lined with the soft reassurance of baby blankets, these coats hug the panic attack right out of you.

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From social to signage and store design, muted tones, soft textures and soothing shades of millennial pink channel good vibes. Wrapped in Teddy, young adults are kept cool, calm, and collected — ready to take on piling student debt, awkward online dates, and under-employment like well-adjusted champs. 

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*Teddy was created before the rise of the teddy coat fashion craze. Some may say we started the trend.

OUTCOME

This project is an ongoing sandbox that never fails to excite me. From learning to sew fur to design websites, Teddy acts a source of inspiration, pushing my understanding of creative problem-solving, brand identity, and design. 

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