For our Love Lines by Valextra series, we are delighted to have collaborated with Brooklyn-based artist Karlotta Freier to create original imagery that symbolises love through a magical Milano lens. Here, the artist reveals her process, her influences, and her very interesting list of personal inspirations.

 Valextra: How would you define your style of illustration?

Karlotta Freier: I would say that it’s noticeably grown from an analogue practice, inspired by little moments of day-to-day life to expanding into the magical and surreal.

V: What inspired you to first become an artist?

KF: I drew, painted, built, knitted, sewed and crafted in any way I could find to my whole life. I always hoped I could utilise these passions in my search for a career. I tried tattooing first, then fashion design. Then I learned that the job ‘illustrator' existed when I was in school for graphic design and was hooked immediately. I think I could be happy in other jobs, but I couldn't imagine a life without drawing.

V: When it comes to translating brand messages like Valextra’s into pieces of artwork, where do you start?

KF: To me, this is mostly about finding the right mood. It’s a bit of an elusive process. I look at the brand’s products. And history and make little visual notes. Colors that inspire me, shapes that spark joy, connections to totally unrelated things that my mind makes. Then I go back to the brief, and play around with the elements I found and the outlines of the brief until I find something visually intriguing that tells a story.

V: What was your stimulus for this Valextra project celebrating Valentine’s Day?

KF: It felt exciting to me to combine the grandeur of paintings by the Italian masters with the modern elegance of Valextra bags, and the beauty of the Italian Landscape. I like how animals can bring an element of surprise and magic to a composition, so showing little scenes of affection and love through birds brought me a lot of joy.

V: What are recurring themes in your work and who are your professional inspirations?

KF: I would say I am constantly inspired by landscapes, animals, nature, people and architecture. I have so many professional inspirations, some of the big ones are Tove Jansson, Yoshiharu Tsuge, Blutch [Christian Hincker], and Mamma Andersson. I also look a lot at movies for inspiration. Yasujirō Ozu and Aki Kaurismäki, for example, have influenced me a lot.