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Miss the World of Souza pop-up? Meet the makers
- Souza
- Nov 4
- 6 min read
Last week the Souzaverse took over the beautiful shop, Better Things, in Forest Hill, London. A pop-up that was more than just a place to shop, it was like stepping inside a pastel dream where bold colour meets underground creativity.
With a hand-curated mix of over 15 makers and small brands, from prints, zines, blind boxes, indie fashion, and of course, a few wonky-faced friends, the pop-up also brought together music and magic at two late night shopping events.
Although it may be over, the makers should still be celebrated and you can find a full list below.
Creature Crafts
Made by Natalie, Creature Crafts brings the magic of miniatures to life through the art of needle felting. From wide-eyed orangutans to tiny mice in scarves, each piece feels like it’s wandered straight out of a storybook. Her newest collection of Teenies, a series of mini Christmas tree decorations, proves that joy really does come in small, fuzzy packages.
💚 Why Souza Loves Them: Because nothing delights quite like tiny things that make your heart feel huge. I mean, just looking at the pictures makes us want to explode (in a good way)
Lupo Crystals Holistic
Founded by Giuseppe Lupo, this small business brings the grounding power of crystals into the everyday. Specialising in ethically sourced gemstone jewellery and holistic tools, each piece carries its own meaning. Crafted to nurture balance, connection, and calm. Every crystal tells a story, and Giuseppe helps you find the one that’s meant for you.
💫 Why Souza Loves Them: Because connection - to self, to the earth, to energy - is at the heart of everything the Souzaverse stands for.
Jewellery Conglomerate
A queer-owned jewellery brand from South East London creating one-of-a-kind, beaded treasures. Sam’s pieces are tiny works of art - playful, detailed, and filled with nostalgia. Each charm feels like a childhood memory you can wear: Hubba Bubba, cola cans, aliens, even a Furby or two! Every necklace and bracelet is handcrafted using sterling silver findings, balancing fun with real craftsmanship.
👽 Why Souza Loves Them: Unique, nostalgic, and full of personality. Jewellery Conglomerate makes joy wearable!
Notarealbunni
The pastel-hued world of illustrator Kirsty Roberts explores queerness, mental health, and small-town nostalgia through stickers, cards, and whimsical characters that look like they’ve stepped straight out of a dream. Her art carries softness and is playful yet deeply human.
💮 Why Souza Loves Them: Because they remind us how art can heal and Notarealbunni’s creations are a reminder to stay kind, curious, and a little bit silly.
Shaw 22 (Rajvi Bhogaita)
A British Gujarati illustrator and designer whose dreamy digital work blends soft textures and bold colours. Inspired by confident women, flora, fauna, and childhood nostalgia, her art feels like a warm memory. Each piece celebrates empowerment, peace, and a free-spirited sense of joy.
💚 Why Souza Loves Them: As a fellow South Asian artist, how can you not be obsessed with Rajvi’s use of colour and the way her work honours women and childhood memories.
Souza Ceramics
The in-house brand of World of Souza! Born from a love of all things wonky, playful, and colourful, Souza Ceramics brings you tiny-batch homeware and jewellery inspired by folklore, museums, and travels. Every lopsided face and bold hue tells a story and is imperfectly perfect.
Happy Stuff Studio
Run by London-based illustrator Vic, Happy Stuff Studio is a celebration of the weird and wonderful. From laser-cut acrylic jewellery to delightfully silly accessories, Vic’s world is full of creatures with big eyes, shiny smiles, and heaps of personality. Inspired by wild places, bugs, and fungi, her designs are as playful as they are precise.
💚 Why Souza Loves Them: Because they don’t take things too seriously (they are seriously cute though). An entire adoption centre of charming, creature accessories.
Sorrel Madley
An interdisciplinary designer with a focus on ceramics and an eye for the uncanny. Sorrel’s work balances the bizarre and the beautiful, creating objects that feel like they’ve wandered out of another dimension. For the pop-up, she’s collaborated with artist Cassi Thorne on a special collection of ceramic bowls and yes, those are toilet roll holders!
💜 Why Souza Loves Them: Sorrel’s vision is gloriously unique, weird in all the right ways and just so good.
Sylke van der Heiden
A Dutch artist based in London, Sylke’s practice weaves between sculpture, textiles, and installation. Her machine-knitted garments balance precision and intuition, organic waves meeting geometric structure. Using deadstock yarns, her process is meditative: winding, threading, stitching colour and pattern into quiet rhythm. The result is minimal yet alive, wearable art that holds movement and meaning in every thread.
💚 Why Souza Loves Them: The way Sylke weaves colour and pattern is a true artistic talent, minimal but never simple. Slow, sustainable fashion for the win!
Rachel Leith
Rachel transforms what’s broken into something whole again. Her mirrors are hand-built mosaics of recycled glass, fragments rescued from smashed mirrors and offcuts, reimagined into slow-made reflections of light. Each piece tells a story of renewal, shaped by instinct, patience, and a commitment to sustainability.
💛 Why Souza Loves Them: Because Rachel turns everyday materials into amazing things for the home. Her mirrors are quietly beautifully balanced, and crafted with true intention.
Ella de Souza
Whether she’s illustrating picture books, editorial features, or sketching live at events, Ella captures moments that are bursting with colour and fun and are universally human. Her playful linework and expressive characters have graced the pages of VICE, Polyester Zine, Gurls Talk, and beyond, all from her East London studio, shared with her rescue lurcher, Margot.
💖 Why Souza loves them: Ella’s work feels like a conversation in colour, playful, emotional, and full of life. Her illustrations capture people and stories with such unique warmth and atmosphere that they pull you right into her world.
Sugar Crash Club
The nostalgic dream of Sheffield-based creator Alex (they/them), who builds a universe of bizarre trinkets, sparkly jewellery, and joyful little creatures that celebrate the inner child. Inspired by early 2000s aesthetics (think charm bracelets, cartoon bugs, and glittery stickers) Sugar Crash Club exists to spread whimsy and a bit of playful chaos.
💚 Why Souza loves them: Because trinkets are for everyone, and bizarre little creatures have the power to light up your day. Sugar Crash Club captures the exact kind of offbeat joy the Souzaverse is built on, weird, wonderful, and full of little guys!
r.j. Design
Rosie is an artist and designer based in East London. Since graduating in Product and Furniture Design, she’s carved her own creative path through ceramics. Her work is deeply inspired by her Norfolk childhood and the wildlife of the British Isles, blending nostalgia with charm in every piece. Recently, Rosie has also expanded into illustration, bringing her distinct style to new mediums.
Why Souza loves them: Her work is so irresistibly cute, capturing the essence of British wildlife and offering a tender, playful glimpse into nature and memory.
Cult a.k.a
Founded by designer Cassandra, Cult a.k.a merges fashion, sustainability, and social values to create streetwear that speaks with purpose. With a background in architecture and environmental design, Cassandra channels her creativity into bold pieces that promote awareness around human rights and sustainability in fashion.
Why Souza loves them: Love how this brand designs with heart, creating clothes that give back, spark conversation, and push sustainable design forward.
Kirrou
Kirrou creates the cutest creature-shaped candles in bright pastel colours, each one lovingly hand-poured in small batches by maker Mei. Made from soy wax and cotton wicks, every candle feels like a tiny piece of practical art. Designed to bring a smile and a little light to your home.
Why Souza loves them: Full of silly little creatures that exist simply to spark joy (and look adorable while doing it).
Girl Haus
What started as October Studio Designs in 2022, has evolved into Girl Haus, a lifestyle brand all about fun, femininity, and colour. Their new direction focuses on bold, preppy accessories and stationery: tote bags, scrunchies, purses, and more, all made with love and a whole lot of personality.
Why Souza loves them: The fearless use of bold colour and playful pattern feels so Souza + it’s vibrant, unapologetic, and totally full of life.
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