What I Learned (The Hard Way) About Cohesion, Pitching, and Surface Design
What I Learned (The Hard Way) About Cohesion, Pitching, and Surface Design
When I first started creating surface patterns, I followed inspiration wherever it led me. One day it was flowers, the next day stripes, the next a quirky abstract shape that felt fun in the moment. I thought that was the freedom of being a designer: to explore, to create, to mix.
But then I pitched one of those “collections” to a brand.
And they rejected it.
But this rejection wasn’t vague. The representative was kind enough to explain why, and harsh enough to make it unforgettable.
She told me, “Your work looks like it came from five different artists. Nothing ties these designs together. They’re from completely different worlds.”
At first, I was crushed. But then, I understood:
I wasn’t designing a collection.
I was designing random ideas.
Why Collections Matter
Whether you’re pitching to a brand or posting on Spoonflower, one thing is clear: cohesion sells.
Brands want to envision how your designs will work together on a product line. Customers want to mix and match patterns that feel harmonious. And if you ever want your designs to live beyond a single swatch, to become wallpaper, bedding, a clothing line, they have to belong together.
What Makes a Collection Work
A strong collection usually includes a few key pattern types:
• Hero Print: The star of the show. Full of detail, color, and personality, usually the most complex design that sets the theme.
• Secondary Patterns: Support the hero without overpowering it. They often echo key elements or motifs in a simpler form.
• Blender Prints: The quiet players, subtle textures, dots, stripes, tone-on-tone repeats that balance everything out and make a collection more versatile.
When these components flow together through color, theme, and visual rhythm, they create a story. They invite someone into a world.
What I Changed After That Feedback
After that rejection, I stopped designing “whatever felt fun” and started designing with intention. I built color palettes first. I mapped out the collection structure. I asked myself:
• Do these designs belong in the same family?
• Can they live together on the same moodboard?
• If this was a shelf of fabric bolts, would they sit side by side?
I now design in collections, not just in feelings.
And surprisingly, it didn’t restrict me.
It made me better. It gave my creativity structure and purpose.
Final Thoughts
If you’re just starting out, here’s my advice:
Don’t just design. Curate.
Give your designs a home. Let them speak the same language.
And if you do get rejected (because we all do), take the lesson.
Sometimes the hardest feedback gives you the clearest direction.
Now, every time I build a new collection, I remember that voice
“Different worlds don’t sell.”
And I smile, because now?
I’m designing one beautiful, cohesive world at a time.
Step into the soft life
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(c) 2025 Huda R. Farhan. All rights reserved
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