PROBLEM
Independent lifestyle brands chase trends without narrative or identity. The challenge: build a brand that moves across apparel, collectibles, social, and events — personal and story-driven, but commercially viable.
APPROACH
Long-term worldbuilding instead of trend-driven drops. Two characters, one identity system, extended across physical products, packaging, ecommerce, and event experiences.
OUTCOME
Two drops, two live pop-ups. Followers up 7x in 48 hours and ~$8K gross combined across both events. Closed up shop in 2025 after two years of real, revenue-generating operation.
01 / CONTEXT
Nara is a storytelling brand built around the character Na-ra and her companion Suul, created to represent Korean culture. I founded it in 2023 as both a creative outlet and a long-term platform — spanning character design, figurines, apparel, social media, and immersive event experiences — and ran it for two years, closing up shop in 2025.
This is the project where I was designer, founder, and operator at once.
02 / PROBLEM
Most independent lifestyle brands ride trends without building a recognizable identity. Nara had to move fluidly across mediums — apparel, collectibles, social, events, digital — while keeping a distinct voice and visual consistency. And it had to stay commercially viable while doing it.
How might we build a brand world personal enough to mean something and systematic enough to scale?
03 / THE WORLD
Na-ra: The Wanderer
A reflection of self-discovery and courage. Her journey runs from the streets of Korea to faraway and imagined worlds, learning to embrace creativity and purpose. She’s anyone chasing what truly inspires them.
Suul: A Drop of Life
Na-ra’s playful counterpart, a lively blob born from a spilled drop of soju. Suul embodies Na-ra’s emotions — her highs, lows, and everything between.
One personality line, receipt attached: yes, the sidekick is a soju droplet. He also sells.
04 / THE SYSTEM
05 / OUTCOME
maum market
DCON · Designercon
