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creators2021/08/10

Finding Inspiration Underwater

by Ewa Krajewska

The first time my sister and I became fascinated by nature and design was when we were living in our hometown close to some incredible mountains. We have always been interested in stones and geological structures, and the mystery or powers they possess. We soon discovered a stone known as Baltic gold - a unique stone, born over 40 millions years ago and known for its healing powers. During a trip with my sister Monika at the coast, we both wanted to get to know this stone in more detail and we quickly became enchanted by its various shapes and colors. I felt like a child playing at the beach looking for treasures. 

The secrets of the undersea world, its history, and mythological nymphs became the point of view for our design at RE:SIN. The beauty of life at underwater depths and creatures, like those from fairy tales, are a wonder to discover. Our admiration of the sea world and Greek mythology inspired us to bring to life the mythological deities: Amphitrite, Elektra, Khloris, Metis, Thalassa and Pontus. According to Greek mythology, they inhabited mysterious waters and were the embodiment of intelligence, wisdom and prosperity. 

It is the beauty of the sea, and its shapes, colors and creatures, that also inspired us to take one step forward and create a limited collection of silk scarves. After thinking about who could hand draw original illustrations for us, referencing the sea, our friend suggested Tokyo-based designer and great illustrator Przemek Sobocki. Przemek also teaches Fundamentals of Design and Drawing at the VANTAN Design Institute in Tokyo and, after our first conversation on Zoom during the pandemic, we knew that Przemek was the perfect collaborator on this project. 

Przemek was our art director and designer and finally created five unique illustrations inspired by the patterns of silk scarves from the 1950s and illustrations from old botanical albums. Plunging into the story told through his patterns, we get to know unusual creatures: golden lobsters, emerald seahorses, indigo moon jellyfish, pink octopus and grey Fugu fish. The patterns are fresh and delicate, bringing to mind warm associations of carefree time at the beach.

It was important to create all of our design as ethically and sustainably as possible and to tell the story of the sea in a natural way. As a result, our eyewear products are 100% vegan and biodegradable. The material used for the production of the frames is Italian ecological acetate, which is a light, hypoallergenic and very durable material. We also use the innovative Pinatex® material made of cellulose fibers, waste from pineapple leaves and cactus vegan leather.

As an individual living close to nature, craftsmanship and environmental friendliness became my priority while designing eyewear and scarves with my sister, and we are proud to incorporate hand-decoration and hand-drawn illustrations into our work. In a super fast, digital world, we hope that staying close to nature will spread balance and beauty in our lives.