The Cozy Heart

Since preschool, I’ve been one of those boys who just can’t get out of sweatpants, sweatshirts, and hoodies. I tried jeans a couple of times, but they’re just not for me. Other than when I have to wear dress clothes or formals for class, I live in sweats and hoodies. That’s why my merch line had to be all hoodies and sweatshirts. Otherwise, it wouldn’t really represent who I am, and I wouldn’t be the right person to make it.

The reason I’m saying this is because one of the most interesting experiences I had during my internship at Lewkin was the day I got to go to a celebrity shoot. Lewkin was sponsoring a K-pop star, and I had the chance to bring the clothes directly to the set and stay on standby during the YouTube filming, just in case anything was needed.

When we first picked up the clothes at the office, they looked pretty normal to me. But my manager and the MDs spent a long time discussing which pieces would suit the celebrity best. I didn’t say much, I just listened, but I was amazed by how carefully they chose each look.

Carrying outfits to the set for a YouTube shoot during my Lewkin internship, where I learned how important it is to match the style to the person.

After finalizing three main outfits and packing six backups, we loaded everything into the car and headed to the filming site. I watched the shoot in awe, and after it was over, I helped gather the clothes and return them to the office. Later, when I saw the final YouTube video, I understood why my manager and the MDs were so detailed. Each outfit perfectly matched the celebrity’s body type and the concept of the shoot. Without those specific clothes, the whole video wouldn’t have worked.

There were three different concepts, which made the shoot dynamic and interesting. One outfit didn’t quite fit, so they immediately switched to one of the backups, and it looked perfect. That experience made me realize how important the match between clothing and the person wearing it really is.

Coming back to my merch, that’s why I wanted it to start with something that truly fits me and feels natural to who I am. I think clothes are something very personal. They express your identity, and you can often tell a lot about someone by the way they dress. So, this merch line naturally carries a part of my own identity.

The first piece I made was something that represents a few things about me, the clothes I wear most (sweatshirts), my happiest color (pink), the gentle curved text, and the slogan placed near the heart.

That’s how the Cozy Heart Sweatshirt was born.

Creating mockups for the Cozy Heart Sweatshirt, my first merch design.

Check out my Merch Collection