“Partnering with Erin on our Valentine's Day line was a unique journey in understanding how our society's expression of love has evolved through the years. Through her playful storytelling and depiction of familiar scenes, Erin brought all forms of endearment to life in a fresh and new way. She wasn't afraid to breathe new life into the holiday with her approach to color and illustrations of moments we all aspire to share with loved ones.”

- Mellina White, senior manager, digital strategy

A Chat with Erin

What was your inspiration behind the Valentine’s Day collection?

I was inspired by the little things that create all of our relationships. So, pivoting away from romantic Valentine’s Day, and more about honoring and celebrating all kinds of love. Getting to move into more playful celebrations and imagery was very exciting, especially with the full suite of products, and bouncing off ideas for each different bar or gift box. Together the pieces culminated into fun and energizing work and the colors and energy gave me a lot of momentum.

You have created a lot of illustrated work for consumer products. Talk about your process.

Because I am such a visual person, I try and first think about how I interact with products as a consumer. My gut instinct is how the design pops for me. How do I infuse myself and my style to elevate the product? Working with companies of different sizes and how the customer engages with each brand helps me understand how my work lives in these different worlds. What’s really special about the collaborations I’ve done is that they are truly partnerships with alchemy and a goal to make something new.

Millennials like yourself are celebrating Valentine’s Day in ways that are different from their parents and grandparents. What is your favorite way to spend Valentine’s Day?

My favorite way is similar to how I celebrate birthdays. In the past, I have made my friend’s little cards with my own illustrations that celebrate our friendship. It’s little things like coffee, a meal, or even a text to tell them I love them. It’s not about big plans or spending a lot of money. It’s about thinking of the people I love and celebrating them.

Anything else you’d like readers to know about your designs?

I hope my sense of whimsy and fun is felt in all of my work. If I have done that, it makes me feel really good.