‘Sometimes I’ll just stay up all night’: meet the young designer holding down a day job and making sateen caps with devil horns after dark

Animated People’s aesthetic is very Y2K by way of west Africa, colorful and personality-driven. Texture is everywhere, as most pieces feature upcycled denim stitched together with flannel and canvas and adornments: zippers, snaps, studs and other hardware. The latest collection includes bright helmets that call to mind jester caps and the ears of bunny rabbits. “This is my first item that I’ve actually put into manufacturing, that I’ve made more than five of,” he says of the distinctive headpieces. “Right now we’re making almost 50. I haven’t done any promotion or marketing. I haven’t even done an official photoshoot for it just yet – but the most amazing people are finding them.”