THRIVE AS A WHOLE. Understory Design Co., a new project by local illustrator Marni Kaldjian, features apparel designs with a focus on the natural world. "Every piece begins with an idea, using design as a way to explore and encourage the values of mutual support, stewardship and belonging," she said.

“The forest as a model for connection.” This statement greets online viewers who venture through Understory Design Co.’s many retail offerings. More than that, it's a deeper message on community support, according to local designer and illustrator Marni Kaldjian.

“The understory, very specifically, is the layer of the forest that grows beneath the canopy,” Marni explained. “It’s one of the pieces that allows the forest to thrive as a whole. It’s a quiet, supportive role.

“Using that as a metaphor to guide how we think about supporting communities and (the) role you can play in your community, was a helpful way for me to think about (my brand),” she said.

Marni references these principles as a guide for how to establish the collective care she wishes to see in Eau Claire – and how her business plays within these systems.

Her apparel designs, manifested into T-shirts, stickers and other ephemeral items, look to the natural world not only because of its beauty but because it offers a first-hand look at reciprocal relationships in action.

Each new design, Marni said, speaks its own visual language. It invites open-ended curiosity toward complex ideas such as the preservation of Wisconsin’s prairie lands and native flora.

“(My designs) kind of run the gamut of playful and joyful; things that might encourage you to think more deeply about what you’re looking at and the relationships depicted there.”

Marni Kaldjian

designer and illustrator, understory design co.

Understory Design Co. illustrations feature “Respect The Locals” motifs ('locals' being the native milkweed, honeybees, frogs and other wild foliage); iconic Wisconsin landscapes including Devil’s Lake, the Apostle Islands and Chequamegon National Forest; Nordic-style creatures influenced by other cultures.

“(My designs) kind of run the gamut of playful and joyful; things that might encourage you to think more deeply about what you’re looking at and the relationships depicted there,” Marni said.

A “Respect The Locals” T-shirt by Understory Design Co., pictured. (Photo by Marni Kaldjian)

Marni, who grew up in Eau Claire, spent the initial years of her adult life in Minnesota, where she completed her collegiate studies in design.

A core foundation to her passions for visual communication also comes from her Armenian heritage; she traveled to the country to learn design from a non-American-centric context and understand how “design thinking” operates within an entirely different cultural setting.

With these experiences at her creative core, Understory Design Co. also draws heavy inspiration from underground and streetwear fashion labels – both in Armenia and here, across the regional sphere.

Her professional background today remains rooted in holistic design practices as she freelances with local businesses and nonprofit organizations including Eau Claire Outdoors, Downtown Eau Claire Inc., Dotters Books and others.

Although Marni had not lived in Eau Claire full-time since she was a kid, her recent return was driven by a desire to make an active commitment to the place and its people – with creativity at the helm.

“I (wanted) to try and work through this lens of community focused design,” Marni said. “What does it mean to hold up a community through design? What can that look like, in terms of building relationships through visual work?”

To practice the reciprocity she preaches, Marni has built a “give back” component into Understory Design Co. She donates percentages of profits from specific designs to community organizations and nonprofits – ensuring her business actively supports the ecosystems it depends on.

This, coupled with seeing her designs out in the wild – whether it be a friend’s house or around downtown Eau Claire – could very well be the greatest gifts Understory Design Co. has brought to Marni’s life.

“I’ll be at the farmers market and see people I don’t know, wearing the shirts – that’s crazy,” Marni laughed. “It’s exciting to see people believing in (Understory), engaging with it and as a result I have been doing a lot more apparel for small businesses and community organizations.”

What’s next for Understory? Marni intends to invite other artists – including those who are not graphic designers by trade, such as textile or tattoo artists – to create guest designs for the line. Marni envisions the brand integrating sustainable printing methods onto curated second-hand garments.

Through it all, one ambition rings true: to cultivate collaborative environments where neighbors can engage with Understory’s ecological focus and, more importantly, with one another.

Visit understorydesignco.com to view the complete collection of apparel designed by Marni Kaldjian. Follow Understory Design Co. on social media (@understorydesign.co), for new updates and merchandise announcements.