Sooyoung is a designer and illustrator based in NYC. Currently pursuing her MFA in Design at SVA.
Own Co.
Sooyoung is a designer and illustrator based in NYC. Currently pursuing her MFA in Design at SVA.
Own Co.
Own Co.
SVA MFAD Thesis2026
Branding, Typography, Packaging, AI Image Generation
Watch Forum Presentation
- Executive Summary
- Cultural Context & Opportunity
- Brand Identity
- Design Strategy
- The Product
- Digital Ecosystem
- User Experience
- Market Analysis
- Business Model
- Bibliography
Own Co. is a seasonal print magazine and digital ecosystem designed to help urban professionals rediscover solitude through nature-based solo travel. Combining tactile print with practical digital tools, Own Co. transforms travel into a more intentional experience of presence, reflection, and restoration.
At its core, Own Co. reframes solitude as a life skill. Each issue brings together thoughtful storytelling, research on nature and mental clarity, curated destination guides, and detachable field tools designed to move beyond the page and into the real world.
The project began personally. One random day last October, life in the city felt too loud, too full, and too much. I booked a solo day trip to Philadelphia as a response to an impulse to . The moment I arrived at Wissahickon Valley Park, my doubt vanished. I felt very small and completely free—and realized that the best company I had ever kept was myself.
Own Co. was built to help others discover that too.
Urban Overstimulation
Modern urban life keeps people in a near-constant state of stimulation. Notifications, crowded environments, social expectations, and digital dependency demand continuous attention — leaving little room for stillness or reflection.
The psychological cost is measurable. Urban living increases the risk of anxiety disorders by 21% and mood disorders by 39%. Despite this, most city dwellers have no reliable practice for recovery. Many recognize the problem. Few know how to address it.
Nature as Restoration
Natural environments offer a fundamentally different cognitive experience. Unlike cities, which compete relentlessly for attention, nature engages the mind through what researchers call soft fascination — a gentle, effortless attention that restores mental clarity without overstimulation.
Attention Restoration Theory and Biophilia research both confirm that forests, water, mountains, and open landscapes reduce cognitive fatigue, support emotional regulation, and create space for genuine reflection. For a growing number of people, nature has become less recreational and more necessary.
The Rise of Solo Travel
Solo travel has expanded rapidly among Millennials and Gen Z, driven not by isolation but by a desire for independence, self-reflection, and intentional experience. A significant rise in female solo travelers reflects a broader cultural shift toward autonomy — people choosing to experience the world on their own terms rather than waiting for schedules to align.
The market reflects this: the global solo travel industry is projected to reach one trillion dollars by 2030. Yet most travel platforms remain optimized for speed and mass tourism. They help users consume destinations efficiently. They rarely help them engage with solitude meaningfully.
The Opportunity
Own Co. responds to this gap by reframing solitude as a learnable life skill rather than an absence to fear.
Through slow editorial storytelling, research-backed reflection, curated destinations, and tactile field tools, Own Co. transforms solo nature travel into an intentional practice — one that doesn't help people escape their lives, but return to them differently.