Portrait of an artist in residence

MANILA, Philippines - When Le Sportsac tapped Zurich-born, London-based graphic designer Katharina Leuzinger to design a collection for their latest Artist in Residence series, a collaboration born from the success of the much-lauded Tokidoki-LeSportsac partnership, they wanted to work with her signature style of colorful characters.

“When we’re looking for a new artist to be part of this project, we asked ourselves whether they have the right color palette,” says Richard Ashworth, the Hong Kong-based sales director of Itochu’s brand marketing director which carries the label.

Leuzinger, who majored in graphic design at Central St. Martins College of Art & Design, is known for her vivid scenic images, filled with playful references and charming stories. “Having visited Japan in my early childhood several times also had a great impact,” she says. “My love for character design and vibrant rainbow colors must have been born there. It’s something that has heavily influenced my work.”

For her Artist in Residence spring 2010 bags, Leuzinger put together a couple of themes, dubbed House Boat, a tale of sea creatures frolicking on beneath candy-colored boats beneath rainbows and graffiti clouds that say “splash,” and Snackville, a town filled with whimsical characters and homes take on a life of their own.

“My favorites are the more geometric house characters.” she says. “I love the fact that they’re not all very obvious ‘characters.’ Elements such as the windows could be seen as eyes. It’s exciting to imagine a face or personality in something, that might not be perceived as such by somebody else. It’s like seeing animals in the clouds and it’s quite personal.”

“Since Katharina is a new mother, she’s very keen on telling stories that are lively and full of fun,” says Ashworth. That doesn’t mean that this collection is strictly for kids.

“It evokes a sense of nostalgia without being obviously nostalgic,” he says. A paper lunch bag gets reincarnated as a foldable reusable pouch. “A lot of people discovered this and we found out they were using it in many other ways, not just for food. They’d store their little travel essentials and pack it into their bag or use it as a beauty kit.”

“I wanted to make something joyful and bright, which would distract you to happy thoughts when you sit in the train on a cold and gray morning,” Leuzinger says.

Ashworth is quick to note that though the pieces are colorful, they’re not outlandish. “When we choose an artist to work with, we observe their use of color. We like light and bright pastels,” he says, “colors that are attractive, not electric. They’ll still go with any outfit you’re wearing.”