SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

THE RIO GRANDE SMILEY COLLECTION

COMING SPRING 2025

A CLASSIC WARDROBE STAPLE

WITH A LUXURIOUS FEEL

It Starts with an idea.

The Rio Grande Smiley was born under the vast blue New Mexican sky, where nature, culture, and craft have intersected in the most remarkable ways for centuries.

Its design journey starts with inspiration, where we find ourselves captivated by the majestic petroglyphs that grace the upper Rio Grande Valley. These vast collections of pictographs were created by the indigenous people of this land centuries ago. The ancient images etched into the rock faces echo the stories and wisdom of those who have walked this land before us, each symbol encapsulating the very essence of history and the creative spirit coexisting.

To contemplate the significance of these historic monuments also calls us to consider the importance of visual forms of language. These have been observed in many other cultures around the world throughout human history. Since the introduction of the alphabet and written text, the use of pictography has almost disappeared entirely. Though, despite its decline over time there is something that continues to draw us back to using simpler ways of conveying our thoughts and stories…

👁️ ❤️ 🫵

And just when we begin to think that some things from the past are merely remnants of history, we find ourselves unexpectedly reminded of how they can resurface and resonate deeply within our contemporary culture. The cyclical nature therein invites a dialogue between past and present, where we may discover that despite our continuous evolution, there remains an unbreakable connection to ancient methods of expression. Surely, to some degree, we can all see the appeal in the visual language of symbols.

It should come as no surprise that this connection to our ancient past would manifest itself in the rise of emojis, the modern reincarnation of pictographic language. These new age glyphs have embedded themselves into the very fabric of our daily communications, functioning not only as a playful tool for conveying a wide array of feelings and narratives but also as a bridge linking experiences across the globe.

The Rio Grande Smiley design pays homage to this ongoing journey of expression that continues to change, adapt, and evolve, offering another perspective on a timeless universal language that resonates across generations.

Color Story: Spring ‘25 Release