Designer, maker, and problem-solver. Loves long runs on the beach… wait, wrong bio.

I’m part inventor, part storyteller—drawn to processes where I can collaborate, experiment, and get my hands messy, whether I’m screen printing, weaving, or building something unexpected. I love turning everyday materials into narratives worth touching—and I’m just as excited to share what I know as I am to learn from others.

If you're looking for someone to experiment, build, and nerd out with—I'm totally your type.

Textile Design

Claire’s, LeMoustache, Lillstreet Art Center

I worked as a textile designer, not just for major companies but also for my own line of home goods. I’ve seen firsthand how the right textile patterns can drive product sales. I also shared my passion for printmaking as a teaching assistant for screenprinting at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago.

Pattern Making & Sewing: The Futura Collection

I've been sewing and creating patterns since I was five—Barbie was my first client, and she had a pretty extensive custom wardrobe (mostly sleeveless, per her request). I later earned a degree in fashion and have developed some serious pattern-making and sewing skills over the years.

My love for typography, graphic design, and all things ‘60s always found its way into my fashion designs. In my Futura Collection, I created custom-printed textiles featuring my favorite Space Invader—printed on ethereal, washable silk noil using one of HP’s first fabric printers (thanks to a reasonable licensing deal). I then painstakingly heat-set the fabric in a double-boiling pot, hoping it wouldn’t get wet and bleed. A few tries later—success!

The collection featured intricate circular patterns, mindful sheer cut-outs, and plenty of comfy, textured stretch knits—pockets included. It blended structured design with experimental techniques, all made for movement, stretch, and comfort—with a sense of fun.

Pattern Making & Sewing: Hand-Dyed Feather Dress

Inspired by the architectural design of Dior, the avant-garde spirit of McQueen, and yet again, ‘60s feminine commentary—specifically Hitchcock’s The Birds—I designed and hand-crafted this custom feather dress for a charity auction. My design took first prize, awarded by a former Project Runway winner—an incredible honor that (almost) made the blood, sweat, and every meticulous hand-stitch worth it…

This dress was thoughtfully structured to comfortably hug the torso while feeling airy and weightless. Nothing like putting on formal wear for an event and being able to eat and dance to your heart’s content (while looking fabulous).

Handbag Design

I spent years as a corporate handbag designer, creating bags (shocking!), accessories, and textiles while developing detailed specs for our manufacturers in Hong Kong. I also worked closely with our licensing team for special brand collaborations and overseas vendors for fabric sourcing to ensure product quality throughout the manufacturing process.

I set out to bring high-fashion silhouettes into durable, multi-use bags that could double as backpacks—versatile, livable, and built for city schleppers carrying their offices on their backs.

Shoemaking Intensive

Brooklyn Shoe Space reignited my fashion spark, teaching me how to choose lasts, draft patterns, source materials, and master the mystical 5-in-1 Machine (which, surprisingly, does grant wishes). The most stressful part? Breaking my lasts, praying my shoes wouldn’t deflate like sad balloons. And guess what? They didn’t—I still have sturdy, functional boots!

Spatial Design: Wayfinding, Signage & Wallpaper Design

I’ve worked with hotels, restaurants, offices, and events to bring brands to life in physical spaces—even during challenging moments. As the pandemic broke out in NYC, I developed some of the city’s first sanitation and safety procedures for how people could safely navigate and spend time in shared environments (with very limited resources).

From wayfinding systems to custom signage, I focused on creating flows that were not only visually aligned with the brand but genuinely useful—enhancing the environment rather than distracting from it. I love experimenting with materials and fabrication techniques to shape experiences people can walk through, touch, and navigate.

My Experience

Working alongside corporate companies, agencies, and freelance clients who value a deep passion for materiality, movement, and human-centered problem-solving.

Who am I? The existential question…

Hi, I’m Kristina — designer, maker, and lifelong MacGyver® problem-solver.

My design journey didn’t start behind a computer screen—it started with drywall. Growing up in Chicago, I spent my childhood rehabbing spaces: hanging drywall, spackling, sanding, learning electrical, laying flooring—you name it, I’ve tackled it. #notasweatshop. My early love of materiality and systems-thinking still shapes my creative work today, and in my spare time, I continue to rehab spaces and build furniture.

I began my career in fashion and textiles, drawn to pattern, storytelling, and the relationship between form and function. Over the past decade, I’ve brought that passion into the digital world— launching products and apps, leading design teams, and helping brands build experiences that extend from the web to the walls—literally.

I’ve also found a deep passion for teaching—supporting early live cohorts as a TA at General Assembly in NYC, helping shape Skillcrush’s brand and product (once featured on the BBC homepage), developing project-based courses for One Month, hosting Creative Mornings workshops, and mentoring aspiring designers along the way.

When I’m not designing, you’ll find me off-grid with my dog Jasper (tarp optional), breathing new life into a physical space, or traveling and making new friends.

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