A little about me
In the past, I designed for Snapchat, creating hundreds of quirky Geofilters to polished artworks for Snap Originals. I also joined Gemini, and designed for their NFT platform, Nifty Gateway. I’ve also dedicated my time in my passion project called Sole Fatale, where I had the honor of collaborating with Nike, DC Entertainment and Universal Studios, and more.

My background
I’m fully bilingual in English and Japanese, with a multicultural background shaped by a life of moving and adapting. I value diverse perspectives, thrive in new environments, and bring cultural sensitivity to both visual and verbal communication—always aiming to connect meaningfully with both English- and Japanese-speaking audiences. (FPO)

Empathetic, Listen to needs
I have a knack for adding clarity and structure to ambiguous problems and environments. I love making complex situations easier for others to navigate and understand.

Problem solving with a sprinkle of joy
I have a knack for adding clarity and structure to ambiguous problems and environments. I love making complex situations easier for others to navigate and understand.

Storytelling
I genuinely enjoy taking complicated concepts and crafting easy to understand narratives through organized slide decks full of intriguing visuals and illustrations to bring ideas to life

Versatility
I have experience in telling empowering stories through art, but also collaborate with teams to solve complex design problems under tight deadlines. Both are similar but different muscles that I am trained to switch back and forth

My Story

I grew up moving between Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles—finding home in different places and collecting inspiration along the way. My multicultural background deeply influences my work, blending elements of classic pin-up, American graphic novels, and a modern take on traditional Japanese illustration.

Professionally, I began my design career in 2013 at Intertrend Communications. From 2015 to 2020, I worked as a Visual Designer at Snap Inc., where I contributed across illustration, art direction, UI/UX, and marketing design for the Content Team.

Throughout my journey, I’ve always believed in the power of personal passion projects to enrich my creativity and shape my voice as a designer. What began as a side project in 2013 eventually led to collaborations with brands like Nike, Jordan, Champs Sports, atmos, 3DRetro, and more. In March 2020, I took the leap to pursue my art full-time, focusing on prints, toys, and various creative products.

2024-Now

Freelance
Designer
Explanation

2020-2024

Gemini (Nifty Gateway)
Product Designer, Brand
Explanation

2013 - 2023

VIVALAREINA
Artist
Explanation

2016-2020

Snap Inc
Senior Visual Designer
Visual Designer
Graphic Designer
Explanation

2013-2016

Intertrend
Digital Designer
Explanation

My Artist Era

My unexpected journey as an artist began when I moved to LA in 2013. I had always loved drawing, but everything changed the day I stumbled into the city’s vibrant sneaker scene. I still remember walking into Flight Club for the first time—watching people passionately talk about sneakers like they were art. It felt like fireworks went off in my head. I went home that night, inspired and eager to capture that moment on paper.

What started as a personal project quickly grew into something much bigger: a visual narrative celebrating powerful women, a reflection of my own evolving journey with femininity—all told through the lens of sneaker culture.

Over the years, this passion turned into a platform that reached over 110k followers. I’ve shown my work at DesignerCon, exhibited in cities around the world, and had fans lining up around the block for limited-edition prints and collectibles. One release even sold 100 pieces in just 40 seconds (That was madness!) it still feels surreal that something that began as a late-night sketch session has come this far.

I am still thankful for every company, opportunities and people I met through this journey. Though I’ve since moved on from that chapter, I’m excited to explore new sources of inspiration and dive into fresh themes in the next phase of my creative journey.

Clients

Nike
Jordan
DC Entertainment
Stock X
Sneaker Freaker
Foot District
SNKR Inc
ntwrk
atmos
Complex
Champ Sports
Snapchat