Sooyoung Yang

Sooyoung is a designer and illustrator based in NYC. She recently completed her MFA in Design at SVA.


Own Co.

Own Co.

SVA MFAD Thesis | 2026

Branding, Typography, Packaging, AI Image Generation


View Forum PresentationTable of Contents

Executive Summary
Cultural Context & Opportunity
Brand Identity
Design Strategy
The Product
Digital Ecosystem
User Experience
Market Analysis
Business Model
Bibliography
Executive SummaryOwn Co. is a seasonal print magazine for urban professionals who travel solo. Each issue combines long-form storytelling, nature and solitude research, curated destination guides, and detachable field tools—reframing solo travel as an intentional practice of restoration and self-companionship.

At its core, Own Co. reframes solitude not as loneliness, but as a life skill worth learning.The project began personally. One random day last October, my life in the city felt too loud, too full, and too much. I booked a solo day trip to Philadelphia on impulse. The moment I arrived at Wissahickon Valley Park, I felt very small and completely free. Then, I realized that the best company I had ever kept was myself.

Own Co. was built to help others discover that too.
Cultural Context & OpportunityModern 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.
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.
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.
Brand Identity


Early logo sketches

Design Strategy

Every design decision in Own Co. exists to serve one purpose: preparing the reader's mind and body for the experience of being alone in nature.
The Product



Digital Ecosystem



User Experience

Business Model

© Sooyoung Yang 2026