TROPICOOL WORLDWIDE
Turning the art on my walls into a lifestyle brand you could wear, photograph, and live in.
📍 LONDON, UK
PROECT: INSTAGRAM BRAND
Tropicoool Worldwide was a brand I started in London while working as a designer. A side project that turned the art on my walls into a scalable dropshipping fashion brand, living through photos of friends on Instagram, exhibitions, and out in the world.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Living and breathing the Tropicool brand that existed before the project even began. Inspired by my dad’s refrigeration business, I turned my tropical upbringing into something people could wear, coming out naturally through websites, exhibitions, Instagram pages, and more.
Turning the art on my
walls into wavey garms
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I make art outside of work purely for my own joy. From birthday invitations for my dad to artwork for my brother’s music, everything is made with happiness and optimism. I stuck it on the walls of my room, my creative haven, to stay inspired. The artwork was already there, made from a genuinely beautiful place.
Putting my art on my friends
I loved this era of my life. I was settled in my career as a graphic designer, living in East London, and travelling regularly to festivals and parties across Europe. I’d go out with my friends wearing different T shirts, representing my world through different people, black, Indian, white, oversized, cool, photographed across Shoreditch alleyways, Notting Hill Carnival, and wherever life was happening.
Inspired by my musical
dad and sunny Goa
The name wasn’t even derived from me. I come from a family rich in culture, spanning India, Portugal, Kenya, and Tanzania, now living in the UK. I grew up surrounded by different words, cultures, music, and colours. My dad’s first business was called Tropical Refrigeration, and it always stood out to me for being funny and memorable. The brand grew from that idea, originally as a Tumblr blog, with styling that felt hand drawn, organic, and real, mixing authentic tropical energy with fresh London typography.
Turning the art on my walls into an e-commerce business
This brought out my entrepreneurial side. I could make art and do digital design at work, but this needed a more hands on approach. I explored Shopify and Big Cartel, chose what worked for me, and made the product pages personal. I wanted everything to have that Francisco edge, from the copy to the way I explained where the products came from. I even recorded videos on my phone as hype, letting people hear the voice of the entrepreneur rather than a polished screen recording.
Turning the art on my walls into an exhibition... twice.
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Turning the art on my walls into christmas gifts
The brand lived on in playful ways, including a Christmas market where I turned it into wrapping paper and cards. I sent them to friends as small gifts, a reminder of how fun life can be.
