This story was originally published on Passionfruit.
We’re reaching out to some popular creators to get their best tips and tricks for success and better understand the ups and downs of life as a trailblazer on the internet.
This week, we caught up with creator Ilse Valfré, the leading artist behind the Valfré brand. The Valfré brand has attracted a long-time cult-following for its unique collectibles, accessories, apparel, art prints, smoke shop, home goods, and stationery. The brand has attracted an audience of over 909,000 followers on Instagram, many of whom stuck around since Valfré’s beginnings on Tumblr.
Growing up in Tijuana, Mexico, Valfré’s work is rooted in the “strong female energy” she encountered in childhood. She has since built a wildly recognizable art style showcasing unique female characters. Her art, often featuring vintage iconography and drawing style, pulls from the “Retro Futurism” movement—which depicts visions of the future matched with vintage aesthetics. Valfré initially grew in popularity for her drawings on Tumblr, prior to turning her art into a full-fledged collectibles business.
Now, Valfré is venturing into Web3 with her NFT project titled Valfrélandia: a collection of 10,000 unique NFTs featuring Valfré’s hand drawn characters, currently costing roughly $315 in Ethereum digital currency each. NFT purchases include avatars of these characters, which double as a profile picture and community membership.
