fashion

BEHIND THE DESIGN: RI X ABBIE ROSIE

For our latest kidswear collaboration, we teamed up with the incredible illustrator Abbie Rosie to bring you a collection for tiny trendsetters. Originally from North Wales and now based in Cambridgeshire, Abbie brings her signature hand-drawn designs to her very first kidswear collection, each piece bursting with joyful details and bold colours. We sat down with Abbie to discuss her creative process and the ideas that shaped her designs.

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How did you first get into creating illustrations?

I’ve been drawing since the second I held a crayon! Even as a toddler, all I ever wanted to do was draw and craft. I remember being at primary school and praying for a rainy day just so I could sit at the back of the classroom and doodle. I grew up around art too – my mum and sister both loved to draw, and I’d beg them to sketch me girls' silhouettes so I could design clothes for them. As I got older, I continued to draw and design, I went to college for art and then got a degree in textile design where I got to mix my favourite things: drawing and fashion! My style has evolved a lot over the years, and now it truly feels like ‘me’ – full of colour, whimsy, feelings and joy! Today I run my own illustration brand, creating colourful, playful artwork and I couldn’t be happier.

Can you describe your creative process?

My illustrations all come from feelings I’ve felt, thoughts swimming around in my head, overheard conversations and just day-to-day life. My creative process usually begins with me jotting down all of these thoughts. I love writing almost as much as I love art, and a lot of people are surprised to hear that 90% of the time I actually come up with the words before anything else – they then inspire my illustrations. I create all of my illustrations on my iPad using Procreate, which I take everywhere; I’d be completely lost without it! I also have a Pinterest addiction, and have a board for pretty much everything. They’re invaluable when creating a collection, helping me stay inspired and come up with new colour combinations. From there, I sketch out rough ideas, create a colour palette, and develop my designs.

What inspires your designs the most?

Feelings for sure. I’m a deep thinker and big dreamer and have a lot of thoughts in my head that I get out on paper that heavily inspire all of my designs. I like to balance both humour and comfort, so I’ll create a mix of silly little quotes to make people chuckle, along with heartfelt messaging to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

What was it like to work with a fashion brand and see your work inhabit a new space?

Honestly, I cannot explain how exciting this has been for me! This is my first fashion collection with a major high street brand, and the fact that people will be able to shop my artwork in such a well-known store is surreal to me, I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.

What was your initial reaction when River Island approached you for this collaboration?

I genuinely thought it wasn’t real. I was scouring LinkedIn to ensure I wasn’t being pranked! When I realised it was happening, I cried lots of happy tears. I’d been asking for a sign to quit my 9-5 to pursue my art full time and told myself that this was it! I went fully freelance and started working for myself 6 months later. It gave me confidence and belief in myself and genuinely couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Putting my all into my art is the best decision I ever made, so I cannot thank River Island enough for making me take that leap, and for working with real artists too!

What’s your favourite piece from the collection and why?

Oh, this is SUCH an impossible question because I’m so in love with all of it! I’d say it’s a tie between the tulip cardigan, red and pink heart co-ord, trinkets dress and silly goose tee – I can’t decide on just one!

Can you share any fun or memorable moments from working on this collaboration?

My most memorable moment was seeing my collection in person for the first time. I loved all of it! I had so much fun choosing colours and design elements and shapes, but actually seeing it all come together as a collection was so rewarding. It made it feel real!

If you had to use three words to describe this collection, what would they be?

Whimsical, playful and colourful!

If these outfits had a perfect day out, where would they be going?

They’d be heading off on a sunny adventure – a picnic in the park, climbing trees, collecting little treasures and finishing the day with ice cream and grass-stained knees. And, of course, plenty of silly-goose moments along the way!

What kind of little personality did you design this collection for?

This collection was designed for adventurous little ones full of love, kindness and lots of playful silliness too.