happy nation was built for a generation that didn’t see themselves in legacy brands — kids 8–14 who value comfort, self-expression, and identity without labels. I was selected to join a whitespace innovation team under Victoria’s Secret PINK to map cultural and behavioral shifts, analyze consumer and parent insights, and validate the need for a gender-inclusive brand positioned around belonging rather than binaries.

I led the brand’s full creative direction from idea to launch: naming, identity and marks, tone of voice, visual world, packaging, product storytelling, digital experience, content systems, and campaigns. My north star was ensuring the brand reflected real tween culture — not filtered through a corporate adult lens — including language, humor, digital behaviors, and the peer-to-peer dynamics that shape influence for this age group.

We launched happynation.com in April 2022 with a startup-speed approach to building, testing, and iterating. To extend the brand in the spaces where tweens actually form community, we launched a companion Roblox world, turning the brand into a place to play, explore, and belong — not just shop.