The story behind the Daruma Doll Tee, a souvenir from Japan

The Daruma Doll tee has always been a personal favourite of mine, and I've been so happy to see how much you all love it too. I wanted to share the story behind this design, because it’s more than just a cool graphic, it’s a memory from a trip that inspired so much creativity.

Back in 2024, I took a short break from Indie Ink and went travelling with my partner. It was a much needed creative reset, and even though I wasn't focused on new designs, inspiration was everywhere.

We had always dreamed of visiting Japan, and we finally made it happen!

While exploring, we kept seeing these quirky red dolls everywhere, they looked so interesting, and I was so intrigued by their meaning. It wasn’t until I was home that I finally looked them up and discovered the story behind them.

I learned that the Daruma Doll is a symbol of perseverance and good luck, often given as a gift of encouragement. The tradition is to set a goal or a wish and fill in the left eye of the doll. Once you achieve that goal, you fill in the other eye. How amazing is that? It’s a physical reminder of your ambition and a celebration of your hard work.

I just knew I had to make this into a t-shirt, and the idea instantly clicked. As soon as I got home, I sketched the design in my sketchbook, then finalised it digitally on my iPad using Procreate. It was so rewarding to bring the design to life, and even more so to see it resonate with so many of you.

If you'd like to hear the story behind any of my other designs, let me know in the comments!