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#101 – Reina Koyano
Reina is best know for her Sole Fatale series, but recently made headlines with a special illustration of Kobe Bryant’s daughter, Gianna. We also talk about transitioning from her full time job to full time artist, and what she's working on next.
Reina Koyano
Reina is a designer and illustrator from Japan, currently based in Los Angeles. She is best known for her illustration series, "Sole Fatale," where she reimagines iconic sneakers into powerful female figures.
She grew up moving back and forth between Tokyo, Hong Kong and Los Angeles, finding homes and collecting inspirations across vastly different cultures. Her background is reflected in her art, as her style blends elements of classic pin up, American graphic novels and a modern twist on traditional Japanese illustrations.
Professionally, Reina started her career in advertising at Intertrend Communications in 2013, and from 2015 - 2020 Reina served as Visual Designer at Snap Inc, where she handled everything from illustration, art direction, UI/UX, and marketing design for the Content Team.
Throughout her career Reina has always had a strong belief in owning a personal passion project to enrich her creativity and unique identity as a designer. What started as a personal project in 2013 quickly evolved into series of collaborations and projects with Nike, Jordan, Champ Sports, atmos, 3DRetro and more. In March 2020, Reina decided to pursue her art full time, dedicating her time to creating prints, toys, and various products.
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