Design Inspiration: Nicole McLaughlin, The Queen of Upcycling and Functional Wit

BrandsWalk Creative |
Let’s dive into a list of creators whose feeds will stretch your imagination and keep your creative brain flexible. First up is designer Nicole McLaughlin.  

Nicole looks at a stray tennis ball or a discarded Patagonia fleece and sees the raw material for a slipper. Based between Boulder and Brooklyn, she has redefined sustainability by moving it away from corporate buzzwords and into the realm of functional art.

image: @nicolemclaughlin Instagram

Since 2018, Nicole has explored the possibilities of circular design through witty and functional objects. While sustainability is often treated as a PR tactic, Nicole treats it as a core design philosophy. By transforming discarded miscellanea into imaginative pieces, she shows how we can reframe "waste" as a genuine opportunity for innovation.

image: Nicole Mclaughlin's Website

Our Favorite Highlights

  • The Door-Chain Wallet: This iconic piece features a standard metal house door chain. By mounting the guard on her wallet and the slide on her jeans, she created a "security-chic" fashion set that is both clever and visually striking.

The Vans Collaboration: Her partnership with Vans showcased the infinite diversity of a simple Rucksack, proving that even mass-market products can be reimagined through modular design.

Image: @nicolemclaughlin Instagram

The eBay Shop: Nicole frequently lists her upcycled creations on eBay, allowing her followers to participate in the circular economy by owning a piece of her functional art.

Image: Nicole Mclaughlin's ebay shop

"Sustainability is an operational philosophy, not a PR tactic." - Nicole

Nicole’s work has landed her on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and in the halls of the Design Museum in London. Whether she’s turning a volleyball into a vest or a sandwich bag into a sandal, she reminds us that with enough DIY ingenuity, anything can be high fashion.

All images right: Nicole McLaughlin

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