Croyden is “Hello Kitty for bodegas.” Created in 1974 by Yuko Shimizu, Hello Kitty made its debut on a vinyl coin purse. It continued to grow until it became one of the most recognizable brands internationally. Hello Kitty is so deeply engrained in society that we’ve all, at some point, breathed in some “Hello Kitty air”.

    Croyden was designed to be its antithesis - lingering not in the air, but in the dust and dirt. The brand utilizes the same strategy - overlaying an anthropomorphic animal (accompanied by a unifying set of design motifs) on top of everyday objects. By doing so, it aims to transform otherwise mundane objects into something more personal.

    Where it differs is in its tone and textures. Whereas Hello Kitty is pristine and upbeat, Croyden carries with it the grime and grunge of a lived urban environment. It embraces imperfect marks and artifacts of daily use with a palette that is mostly monotone. A Croyden product would not be found in a perfectly curated department store but at your local corner store, among the beers and cigarettes covered in a light blanket of dust.