Did you ever dream the cutest thermal in recent memory would be found in Brazil? Neither did we. Well, South American supertalent Bruna Zanardo surprised us with her adorable Playground People thermal adorned with clouds and… calculator watches? Cuteness computes in any language!

How did you get started?
I started very small in 2003-2004, putting some ideas together and silkscreening some t-shirts with my own designs to sell on my website. Things kept growing and I found some great resellers here in Sao Paulo. I do everything myself since the very beginning and my friends are my best helpers when it comes to modeling and taking photos for editorials and catalogs. This is my third time trying to get into the Next Big Thing!

I love your company’s name. Where did it come from?
I was very young when I started and I used to draw some big headed girls I liked to call the playground people. When I built my first online shop it had that name. I liked it and kept it.

What are you all about?
I’m all about nostalgia. It follows me everywhere. Doing childhood-inspired designs for adults is what I like the most, especially when it has something to do with the 80’s. I like drawing small objects with simple lines. I’m also all about blush pink and teal blue. Can’t get rid of them, no matter what.

What would be a dream project for you?
Well I’m one of those persons with modest dreams. I don’t want PGP to rule the world of anything like that. Until like two months ago, being launched at Fred Flare was what I wanted the most, ha ha. I like to work in partnerships with other brands and artists I admire, so anything like that would make me real happy.

You’re our first-ever featured designer from Brazil! Can you tell us more about your life there? What’s the craft/design scene like?
I was born and I live in Brazil but my references are not that Brazilian. The same thing happens with a lot of new Brazilian artists. Brazil is a country very characterized by carnival, samba and girls… None of this things brings me joy, ha ha! I rather search for inspiration in my personal universe. Everything is really concentrated in São Paulo in matter of opportunity, and I’m lucky to live in the big city. The young and modern kids here look a lot for different things that run away from the Brazilian standard, and there’s where brands like Playground People find a way to go.

What inspires you?
Playing alone inspires me. I like to walk alone & observe things and people.